Employee quits job after winning 6-figure jackpot, coworkers slam him for skipping farewell gifts: 'One said I should’ve left a thank-you bonus for the team since we all worked together'

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Nov 28, 2024 10:00 AM EST

Gambling is a tricky game. You almost always lose, but the one time you win, it hooks you. Or, in this case, makes you rethink your entire life. That's what happened to this employee who won big in a poker tournament, walking away with a six-figure check. Instead of just celebrating quietly, he decided to quit his soul-sucking job on the spot. Can you blame him? Life's too short to endure endless corporate struggle when you've just hit the jackpot.

But when word got out about his winnings, his coworkers suddenly started acting differently. Jokes about free coffee and catered parties turned into not-so-subtle expectations for cash gifts and lavish farewell gestures. When he left without entertaining their fantasies, the vibe in the office shifted. He was called selfish and accused of "abandoning" them, leaving everyone salty about leaving them behind. The internet weighed in, with many reminding him (and us) why you should never flaunt a big winning to coworkers, friends, or family. No one is safe from entitlement. Keep scrolling for the full story and decide for yourself if he should've handled his lucky exit differently.

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  • 01
    AITA for quitting my job after a huge windfall and not helping my coworkers?
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 02
    A few weeks ago, I entered a random poker tournament just for fun, not expecting much. Somehow, I hit an insane streak of luck and walked away with a life-changing win―six figures. It's more money than I've ever seen in my life, and it felt surreal.
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 03
    I decided to make some big changes, starting with quitting my stressful corporate job that I've hated for years. The moment that money hit my account, I typed up my resignation and gave HR a two-day notice. I couldn't wait to walk out.
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 04
    When word got out that I had won, my coworkers started jokingly (or maybe not) asking for things like free coffee for the office or a catered farewell party. Some even said I should give. them cash gifts since I was "abandoning" them. They
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 05
    weren't serious at first, but when I left without doing anything extra, the mood shifted. People were texting me, saying I was selfish and that I should've left on better terms. One even said I should've at least donated to the office fund or left a thank-you
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 06
    bonus for the team since we all worked together. I don't think I did anything wrong. I worked hard in that job for years, dealt with r de clients and overtime without extra pay.
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 07
    My win had nothing to do with my job or coworkers—it was luck. Why should I owe them anything? The money is mine, and honestly, it feels weird for them to expect anything from me. I feel like I was polite enough in my exit and didn't owe them more than that.
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 08
    Still, their comments are getting to me. Was I aj for leaving like that without any gestures of goodwill? AITA?
    via u/Medium_Ad416
  • 09
    childishbambina • 2h ago NTA your coworkers are just jealous
    via u/childishbambina
  • 10
    Investigator516 • 2h ago NTA but six figures does not stretch far. Invest wisely. Your coworkers are jealous. How word got out may cause additional problems.
    via u/Investigator516
  • 11
    davekayaus • 2h ago Top 1% Commenter Hopefully you have learned to keep your mouth shut when you come into an unexpected amount of money The only reason 'word got out' is because you shared this. Enjoy your win and use it to set you both up for a comfortable life.
    via u/davekayaus
  • 12
    Live-Ice7323 • 2h ago NTA. You owe them nothing. That being said, you may want to keep a close eye on your expenditures otherwise the money will run out and you will be back to working again. Six figures.- even high six figures won't get you very far for very long if you don't have another source of income.
    via u/Live-Ice7323
  • 13
    GlamVellia 59m ago • NTA, you owe them nothing. Enjoy your win and make wise financial decisions.
    via u/GlamVellia
  • 14
    Witty-Moment8471 NTA • 2h ago FYI 6 figures is life changing but it's not that much money and will be gone quickly if you gave it away freely to everyone who thinks they deserve a piece.
    via u/Witty-Moment8471
  • 15
    Fun_Beautiful5497 • 2h ago • Have a nice luxurious soak in their tears. Nobody is entitled to any of your money, regardless of how you came about obtaining it. Absurd and preposterous.
    via u/Fun_Beautiful5497
  • 16
    ContactNo7201 • 2h ago NTA. But this is a serious lesson in not over sharing. You shouldn't be telling people about your big win. Everyone you know or friends/relatives of people you know are going to be contacting you for money. Learn to keep things to yourself. No one needs to know your finances
    via u/ContactNo7201
  • 17
    OppositeSolution642 • 2h ago NTA in the least, but your coworkers are. Cut ties and move forward. I guarantee that none of them would have shared their windfall with the office.
    via u/OppositeSolution642
  • 18
    bleue_shirt_guy •2h ago • NTA. Though giving a party or lunch would have been good karma, but you don't owe them anything.
    via u/bleue_shirt_guy
  • 19
    TootsNYC • 2h ago • Top 1% Commenter "Thou shalt not covet thy coworker's poker winnings, or lottery winnings, or inheritance." NTA But there's something about the windfall that comes from gambling that just turns on the covetousness in other people.
    via u/TootsNYC
  • 20
    RESIGNATION
    via Unsplash (Getty Images)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

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boss employee job work coworkers gambling Office colleague winner jackpot poker money quitting resignation
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