Anthony Yates
A man from Missouri recently won the largest lottery prize in the state’s history. He admitted to lottery officials he still finds his newfound wealth hard to fathom.
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What happened: According to a news release by the Missouri Lottery, a Powerball player won half of a colossal $1.787 billion jackpot on September 6.
- The anonymous lottery winner was one of two people nationwide to match all six numbers on the Saturday draw. He reportedly purchased his Quick Pick ticket from QuikTrip, 12100 Lusher Road in St. Louis.
- Many lottery winners reveal extravagant plans for their cash, but the anonymous winner described himself as a “homebody.” He told lottery officials, “I’m just going to do me for a year,” noting he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife and reducing her workload.
- “The perfect day is sitting at home doing what I do – relaxing,” he declared before joking that his wife would likely drag him out of town now. The man revealed at the Lottery HQ in Jefferson City that he was still trying to process the amount of money he won. “I’m a millionaire, a multi-millionaire, and I’m doing laundry last night,” he reportedly said.
The Missouri Lottery Winner Had Sleepless Nights
A lump sum: The anonymous winner told officials he was having sleepless nights between pulling the winning ticket and collecting his prize. “It’s the best problem I’ve ever had,” he said.
- Like most large lottery prizes, winners can choose between collecting their money in installments or as a lump sum, typically a lower amount.
- The Missouri Lottery explains that two people hit the jackpot, winning approximately $893.5 million each pre-tax. They could collect the full prize over 30 installments or a lump sum of $410.3 million. The anonymous winner chose the latter.
A heartwarming gesture: Earlier this month, a woman from Virginia won $150,000 for matching four out of five numbers in a lottery with the Powerball on top.
- Carrie Edwards told lottery officials she couldn’t decide what numbers to go with, so she asked ChatGPT for help. She claimed the AI bot told her it was all about luck, but its suggestions netted her the prize.
- Edwards said she planned to split the winnings between three organizations of special importance to her: The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, Shalom Farms, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
