Lottery Winner Wears A Bright Yellow Bear Costume To Collect $85M Reward, As One Does

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Look around at all the lottery winners you’ve seen on TV in the United States — a smiling person, human in features, not covered in bright fur. We are tamer than tame when compared with the tradition of dressing up in crazy costumes to claim lottery winnings in China, like a guy who just wore a huge, bright yellow bear costume to pick up his check for $85 million.

The 520 million yuan won in the province’s lottery is the third largest jackpot ever handed out in the country, reports Shanghaist, and it didn’t come free, either: The winner says he (and we do know he’s a he, at least) spent the equivalent of $3,200 to $4,900 every year playing.

His outfit is clearly designed to keep his identity a secret, because there’s nothing worse for someone who’s suddenly come into a large sum of money than letting everyone who ever knew him and who could need a little quick cash to come running.

As winners are usually broadcast on TV in China, the best way to get around this for many, including Mr. Bear, is to hide in a costume: Mickey Mouse scored $62 million in August and a panda won $92 million in 2011.

Look: Lottery winner picks up his lottery winnings in hilarious bear costume [Shanghaist]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist