66-year-old man wins Rs 34 crore lottery, hides money from wife to secretly live in luxury

The man initially told his wife that he had won only 5 million yen (about Rs 28.6 lakh) and would use the money to renovate their home. (AI-generated image)

A 66-year-old man in Japan won 600 million yen (about Rs 34 crore) in a lottery and kept the windfall hidden from his frugal wife to indulge in a secret life of luxury. The retiree, identified only as “S,” previously worked for a major manufacturing company and lives in Tokyo with his wife on a combined monthly pension of 300,000 yen (Rs 1.7 lakh), South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

S had a habit of buying lottery tickets after breakfast at a local coffee shop. One day, he was informed he had won big and needed to visit the bank. “This does not feel real. The number is so huge, I am even a bit scared,” he told the local media, adding: “I heard the odds of winning are lower than being struck by lightning.”

Instead of revealing the full amount, S told his wife he had won only 5 million yen (about Rs 28.6 lakh) in the lottery and would use it for home renovations. His wife, known for strict financial control, had banned beer purchases and insisted on an old, cheap car.

Luxury car, hot springs, and secret travels

In reality, S splurged on a luxury car, booked stays at high-end hot spring resorts, and travelled across Japan, spending 18 million yen (Rs 1 crore) in six months. To avoid suspicion, he parked the car in an underground lot, wore old clothes, and distanced himself from friends.

But the secret lifestyle soon led to guilt and loneliness. “If this money had been earned through my own efforts, I would be proud of it. But wealth that comes without effort brings up unpleasant memories and shakes my life,” he said, recalling his father’s lonely death after bankruptcy.

Turning to family security

Eventually, S consulted a financial planner and invested nearly 500 million yen (about Rs 28.6 crore) into insurance, naming his wife and children as beneficiaries. “I hope this money will provide my family with security after I die,” he said.