Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/86681 
Year of Publication: 
2008
Series/Report no.: 
Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper No. 08-048/1
Publisher: 
Tinbergen Institute, Amsterdam and Rotterdam
Abstract: 
Each week, the Dutch Postcode Lottery (PCL) randomly selects a postal code, and distributes cash and a new BMWto lottery participants in that code. We study the effects of these shocks on lottery winners and their neighbors.Consistent with the life-cycle hypothesis, the effects on winners’ consumption are largely confined to cars and otherdurables. Consistent with the theory of in-kind transfers, the vast majority of BMW winners liquidate their BMWs.We do, however, detect substantial social effects of lottery winnings: PCL nonparticipants who live next door towinners have significantly higher levels of car consumption than other nonparticipants.
Subjects: 
social interactions
natural experiments
JEL: 
D12
C21
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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