My mom always gets us lottery tickets for Christmas. I rarely win and, if I do, it's only like $2. So, yeah, the gift you're giving could basically be a worthless piece of paper. That doesn't really bother me, though.
Also remember it could be illegal. Not only do you have to be 18 years old or older to purchase a lottery ticket in Texas, you've got to be 18 years or older to redeem one.
The Texas Lottery along with the National Council on Problem Gambling and McGill University’s International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors are raising awareness of the risks of underage lottery play. They have a campaign called “Gift Responsibly. Lottery Tickets Aren’t Child’s Play.” Researchers have found that most adults with either problematic or pathological gambling started gambling before adulthood.
And winners are under no legal obligation to share with the giver. Even if they would want to share with you, they’d be capped at $15,000 a year, according to Internal Revenue Service rules. After that, they’d have to pay a gift tax. (please tell me that you don't expect them to share with you, though!)
(KSAT) Photo: Getty