At a New Year’s Eve party in 2016, IT worker Christian Larsen (34) was called from an unknown number.
– My first thought was to leave my cell phone. I didn’t want to talk to a telemarketer on New Year’s Eve. But my roommate said I should have taken it anyway. It could be something major, Larsen says.
He made his way to the kitchen, while his friends continued the party in the living room. The person on the other end asked strange questions – about name and address and a lottery ticket purchased on a phone app that day.
Won the lottery – made a big mistake
Then came the phrase that more than 7,000 Norwegians have heard variations of since 1986:
“Christian, I’m calling to tell you that you have become a lottery millionaire.”
– Most people I tell that story to assume things went downhill after that. But it was actually the other way around, says Larsen.
– Our friends were completely thrilled, but my roommate and I ended up spending the night early. It was just too much to bear, she says.
Happy New Year
New Year’s Eve in 2016 was on a Saturday. Two days later the phone rang again, this time from a lawyer who asked Larsen to check the balance. The closed consumer account had received more than four million crowns overnight.
– The first thing I did was show the mobile bank to a colleague. I’ll never forget his face, says Larsen.
In the same telephone conversation, Larsen was invited to financial advice, an offer from Norsk Tipping that is given to anyone who wins more than two million crowns.
– I expected advice on specific stocks and funds in which I could invest my winnings, but it didn’t turn out as I had imagined, he says.
FLOATING HIGH: In addition to buying a car and a property, lottery winner Christian Larsen has had a couple more vacations. Here from El Caminito del Rey in Spain. Photo: private
sea View
Larsen had played Lotto before, but often several weeks passed between one ticket and another.
– It was just something I did for fun. You never really expect to win. That’s why I still think it’s fun to play once in a while, she says.
Used more over time
Larsen was 28 years old in 2016 and had been working for almost two years after his studies. He invested part of the profit in a single family home.
– In the early years I was very frugal. I was able to afford an extra vacation, but nothing extravagant. Instead of a Porsche, I bought a Volkswagen. Four million is a lot, but if you’re not careful, it’s a figure you can easily consume, she says.
Finally listened to his wife – he won 20 million
Gradually, the money warmed up in my pocket. Larsen sold the single-family house, bought two apartments and rented one. The latter has since been sold, but still keeps an eye on the property market in case the right item appears. He still has the same job.
– I’ve also bought and sold a few cars, taken a few more trips, bought my parents a vacation, and eaten out more at restaurants than I probably should have. I have to admit that my consumption doesn’t always match my monthly salary, she says.
The same question repeats itself
Bigger lottery prizes are typically associated with extravagant and uncritical spending. But winners’ financial picks are usually more “boring” than most people think. This is according to the lawyer who contacted Larsen, Torbjørn Evjenth of the law firm Dehn.
– Many are quite overwhelmed and feel a great responsibility to use money sensibly. We’re often asked what previous winners have done, and it’s easy to give examples of what worked.
The lawyer has mentored hundreds of Lotto winners on behalf of Norsk Tipping and says the same questions keep coming up.
– Older winners are typically interested in inheritance and fair distribution between children and grandchildren. Younger winners often have questions about placing money, but to preserve our independence we never give advice on specific investments, banks or funds, says Evjenth.
Regardless of what winners choose to spend the money on, Evjenth advises against making too big of a change in everyday life.
– Most keep both their job and their social circle. They occasionally express a desire to quit their jobs, but our advice is therefore to think carefully and rather try a period with a low vacancy rate, says the lawyer.
– Tearing the whole picture can be a risky sport. Also, a premium of, say, NOK five million today is not the same as it was 20-30 years ago, she concludes.
