Man wins $10k jackpot on a cruise and gives $2k to his brother, brother demands he split it 50/50: 'You have received a $2000 lesson in your brother's lack of character'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Mar 25, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Winning a big prize at the casino is what every gambler dreams of. You rock up to the slot machine with a prayer in your heart. Yes, your rational brain knows you'll probably only lose money, but why else would you be there if you didn't harbor the secret hope that you'd hit it big? It's how casinos stay in business. Everyone thinks they're going to win money. Of course, very few people actually do, but we all have a sense of exceptionalism that says "It's going to be me this time."

But sometimes, the real trouble begins when you've won. Now that you're flush with money, you have to decide what to do with it. Do you spend it on the people you came with, or do you keep it all to yourself? What about the people who were there with you when you made it happen? Are they owed anything?

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    Cheezburger Image 10485243136
    via Unsplash+ (Pablo Merchán Montes)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • That's the situation one friend was in when he won a sizable sum on a trip with his brother. But when he extended his generosity in the form of some of his winnings, the brother wasn't satisfied with his share. Read on for the story and decide what you would have done.

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    I won a jackpot on a cruise. Now my brother wants me to give him "his fair share".

    Just as the title says. I won a small jackpot on a cruise a week ago. A little over 10k. My brother was with me when I won. After getting the hand pay, I gave him $2k. Afterwards, he was passive aggressive for the next day. On the last day, he proceeded to demand "his"
    via u/Internal_Ad_7316
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    remaining $3k because he believes we should have split it evenly because he didn't win. I reminded him it was my money I put into the machine so why did he expect to get anything at all. I told him he should be grateful for what I gave him as I didn't have to give him anything at
    via u/Internal_Ad_7316
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    all. He's since been passive aggressive again now that we've gotten back. I've also heard from mutual friends that he's been calling me greedy and how I'm selfish.
    via u/Internal_Ad_7316
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    Commenters weighed in on whether or not he owed him more money.

    eeveerose63 • 2d ago It was super generous to give him $2000!
    via u/eeveerose63
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    HelgaTwerpknot • 2d ago And honestly, once she pays taxes on that prize he got a pretty good percentage of the pot
    via u/HelgaTwerpknot
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    Diesel07012012 · 2d ago . You shouldn't have given him anything in the first place.
    via u/Diesel07012012
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    Vegetable-Cod-2340 · 2d ago And make sure he never gets another dime.
    via u/Vegetable-Cod-2340
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    Internal_Ad_7316 OP.2d ago We've always given each other some money after one of us wins. He won earlier in the cruise for $1k and only gave me $100. What we give is nowhere near half what one of us has won. This money is the largest either of us has ever won so he just wanted more money than what I gave him. I learned my lesson. He won't get another dime from me.
    via u/Internal_Ad_7316
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    datastlessgentleman2 2d ago. ⋅ Hey bro I won drinks on me after seems like a perfectly nice thing to do....you ain't getting 2k though. Ask him if he plans to share every scratch off he wins with you lol
    via u/datastlessgentleman2
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    • Sissy_lover80 2d ago Your brother is a gave him $2000, and he I. You thinks you owe him? If my brother did that, I'd tell him to gtfo.
    via u/Sissy_lover80
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    bugabooandtwo • 2d ago If the mutual friends ask, simply tell them the truth. You won with your money, and you were being generous giving him $2k.
    via u/bugabooandtwo
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    blonde_Fury8 · 2d ago . You let him bu y you into your money. You're gonna have to pay full taxes on the total amount. And he wasn't owed a dime. This is why you shouldn't tell anyone when you win anything.
    via u/blonde_Fury8
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    PAYLINE PLAY 2 CREDITS D-Quick Hit Pl WIN PAID 2 $1 CREDIT 5
    via Ays Be
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    Pottski 2d ago • You have received a $2000 lesson in your brother's lack of character and respect for you. Don't let that money go to waste.
    via u/Pottski
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    Mindless_Heat5986 • 2d ago You're a better person than I am. I would of maybe of bought dinner and a round of drinks. It was your money. He didn't contribute.
    via u/Mindless_Heat5986
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    . MyCatsAnArsehole • 2d ago If anyone gave me 2k just because I was there at the time, I would be super grateful and make sure they knew they didn't have to do that.
    via u/MyCatsAnArsehole
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    SliverSerfer • 2d ago Had you lost $10K would he have have split the losses? Tell him to quit projecting his greed on to you.
    via u/SliverSerfer
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    biscuitmcgriddleson . 2d ago This is where you Boomerang it back and say you thought the $2000 was a loan and he has to pay you back.
    via u/biscuitmcgriddleson
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    justloriinky 2d ago . If I were out with my brother and he won, he would have given me some money ($300 - $400) to keep playing for the night. And I would be very grateful for it. That would be the end of it.
    via u/justloriinky
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    OWretchedOne ⚫ . 2d ago This is truly obnoxious behavior and, as others have mentioned, he's showing his true colors. Be prepared for him to play dirty if an inheritance that is split amongst the siblings ever comes up.
    via u/OWretchedOne
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    parkrat92 2d ago Shouldn't have given him Jack sh honestly. If I had just gifted someone 2 grand and they asked me for another 3, I'd probably tell them to have a good life and go no contact
    via u/parkrat92
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    Momn4D • 2d ago Lmao he shouldn't have gotten the first $2k, did he pay for your cruise? He can kick rocks.
    via u/Momn4D
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    ImaDumbB1tch24 . 2d ago $2,000 is my whole a savings account right now. I'd cry if someone just handed that to me for doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I wonder what it's like to have the balls to DEMAND $5k just for being in the vicinity of someone who won money. And believe you deserve it, at that.
    via u/ImaDumbB1tch24
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    bf308 2d ago It constantly amazes me how family can be the most toxic people in a person's life, as though familiarity justifies being a sack of crop. I wouldn't give him anything. He was lucky to get 2 grand; it was more generous than you should have been.
    via u/bf308

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aita AITAH brother sibling rivalry sibling memes lottery siblings money problems reddit story family feud winning the lottery family sibling sister reddit thread Reddit money
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