I haven’t done a blog post like this before, but I thought it posed an interesting scenario that other readers might have experienced something similar to.
It all stems from a post on Reddit that caught a lot of attention and ended up making headlines, because of the unreasonable expectations of one of the people involved.
Have a read of the story below and see what you think. Is the guy being unfair to the woman he supposedly loves; is the fiancée acting like an entitled child and making demands she has no right to make; is their relationship even viable?
This is verging on turning into one of those agony aunt columns isn’t it?
Don’t worry, i’ll be back to moaning about new slots and reporting on yet more fines, suspensions and closures in the next post!
Casino Winner Expected to Pay off Fiancée’s Debt with Jackpot
A Texan man who had some very good fortune has seen his moment of triumph turn into a bit of a nightmare.
He and his fiancée went on vacation and decided to visit a casino while they were away. After putting in what he calls ‘a reasonable amount’ he ended up winning a large jackpot.
We aren’t talking millions here, but enough to pay a bunch of bills, the mortgage, and his car loan.
However, his bride to be is in a lot of debt, and she asked the man to use the money to pay off her debt instead.
Not only did she ask, but she kind of expected him to say yes, and when he had reservations, she got angry and trashed his room looking for the money, then refused to talk to him unless it was about the money. Punishing him with silence, like any mature adult would do…
Her parents even visited and expressed dismay that he wasn’t going to pay off her debt, since they were soon to be married and therefore, in their opinion, his money was also her money.
Great parenting Mike and Janet (probably not their real names).
He didn’t want to pay off her debt because he knows she is terrible with money, and thinks that this ‘get out of jail free’ card will not lead to her changing her behaviour, but that she will simply plunge herself back into debt all over again.
In short, he thinks she should pay the debt herself so that the experience teaches her not to do it again.
After all, the things he wants to use the money for will benefit her as well since they are costs both will incur such as bills and mortgage.
However, her behaviour and the opinion of her parents have made him question himself, so he did what any sane person would do in this situation, and asked the internet.
Turning to Reddit for Advice
The man went to popular online message board, Reddit, and asked the age old AITA question (Am I The A$$hole?).
The answer was a resounding no.
The guy was even encouraged, strongly, to reconsider the relationship, and I have to say that I agree – you might have already picked up on this from the earlier tone of the post.
If you win a jackpot at a casino and spent your own money playing the game that triggered it, that money is yours to do with as you please.
No one, no matter how close they are to you, has a claim over the cash, and the fiancées behaviour since the win has been petulant and full of red flags.
The guy sounds really switched on to me; he’s had a big win and is going to use the money to pay for what might be considered ‘boring’ things, but by doing that he gives himself much more financial freedom in the years to come.
The fiancée would benefit from that too, but she’s too selfish to look at it that way.
Obviously, gambling should never be used as a way to try and solve financial problems, but if someone plays responsibly just for fun, with money they can afford to lose, and then happens to win a large amount, using some or all of it to pay for your house is eminently sensible.
My favourite response to the OP’s question is this one:
I didn’t see a single response that pegged him as the a$$hole.
It’s an interesting case study, because you could replace the debt with a partner who wants a new kitchen, or a new car, or a holiday to Antigua.
It doesn’t really matter what the specifics are, the point is that no one has a right to tell you what to do with money you have won.
That said, if they are encouraging you to use it to pay off debt of your own, you should probably consider it.