Chinese Employee Who Won Rs 7 Crore Lottery At Company Event Asked To Return Prize

A Chinese man who won more than 6 million yuan (approximately Rs 7 Crore) in a lottery at a year-end company party was asked to return the prize money. According to the South China Morning Post, a company in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China, held its annual year-end party in 2019. It distributed over 500 lottery tickets to employees to enhance the festive atmosphere. However, when one employee secured the top prize of 6 million yuan, the firm requested the winner to return the prize so it could be evenly distributed among all attendees. 

The win had caused a buzz among the employees, with many sharing the news on social media. "Come join our company, six million lottery wins are just a regular perk! Message me for job openings," joked one employee, as per SCMP. Another remarked, "Our annual party handed out lottery tickets, and someone won the jackpot! This is probably the closest I will ever get to such a huge prize."

However, things took a dramatic turn when the company demanded that the winner return the ticket. The firm argued that the large prize should be divided among all the partygoers. But when the winner refused, the dispute escalated and had to be sorted out at the local police station. 

Authorities from the Yinzhou district confirmed that they had addressed the matter. "It was a civil dispute, and we advised the parties to resolve it through legal channels," police said. 

Adding to the drama, it was later revealed that the lottery draw took place two days before the tickets were distributed to staff. It was also disclosed that the company had instructed the finance department to ensure that no winning tickets were handed out. 

However, due to an oversight, the winning ticket slipped through. It remains unclear whether the dispute was resolved in court.

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Notably, the incident from 2019 has resurfaced on Chinese social media as the Spring Festival approaches, a time when companies in China host similar events. Some people also speculate that the revival of the story is aimed at boosting the sales of lottery tickets.

The incident has sparked outrage online. "Once a gift is given, there is no taking it back. That is common sense," commented one user. "The boss pretends to be generous by distributing tickets and then tries to cash in when someone wins. So shameless," said another.

"This is unethical behaviour by the company. Treating employees this way? Bankruptcy must be just around the corner,' wrote a third user.