Ever wondered what happens when ordinary people win extraordinary amounts of money? From buying cows to going fishing, these Mega Millions winners have some of the most amusing and heartwarming stories. Dive into the world of lottery winners and discover how their lives took unexpected turns after hitting the jackpot.
Michigan residents Ralph and Mary Stebbins had a unique vision for their Mega Millions winnings. They decided to use their newfound wealth to benefit their community by starting a dental clinic for low-income residents in their hometown. Mary, however, had a simpler wish: she wanted to buy a cow. Their story is a testament to how lottery winnings can be used for both community service and personal joy.
In March 2007, Eddie Nabors from Dalton, Georgia, shared the largest lottery prize in U.S. history at the time, a staggering $390 million, with another ticket holder from New Jersey. His winning numbers were 16-22-29-39-42, and the Mega Ball was 20. Nabors, a truck driver for Mohawk Industries, was in disbelief when he found out he had won. When asked how he planned to spend his winnings, he simply replied, "I'm gonna go fishing." The CEO of Georgia Lottery, Margaret DeFrancisco, even gave him a pillow that said "Gone fishing" to pose with at the press conference. Nabors bought a new boat and planned to take it "everywhere."
In April 2004, retired truck driver J.R. Triplett won a $239 million jackpot. At the press conference, his wife Peggy excitedly declared her plans to "shop 'til I drop." Their story highlights the joy and excitement that comes with such a life-changing event.
Margaret Jones, who won a $130 million jackpot in January 2005, made a grand entrance at the Atlanta headquarters. She hired a bus and brought along her family, relatives, and friends to celebrate her win. The group cheered and celebrated all the way to Atlanta and continued their jubilations during the press conference.
Stephen Cooke from Roswell, Georgia, had an extraordinary stroke of luck in November 2003. He realized he had bought two lottery tickets with the same winning number combination, making him a double winner. Cooke left the Mega Millions office twice that day, each time with a $13.3 million check in his pocket.
In August 2007, Bunky Bartlett from Dundalk, Maryland, shared a $330 million Mega Millions prize with a few other players. Bartlett, who worked at a new age store called Mystickal Voyage, planned to use his winnings to help expand the store and teach Reiki, a form of Japanese healing.
U.S. Army officer Stephen Moore, stationed in South Korea, won a $150 million Mega Millions prize in September 2003 while on vacation with his family in Fitzgerald, Georgia. Before leaving for his 30-day leave, he had told his friends he would win the lottery. His story adds a mystical twist to the world of lottery winners.
Washington's first Mega Millions winners, Pat and Dick Warren, donated a significant portion of their $93 million winnings to charities. The store that sold them the winning ticket, Swanson's Market, gained a reputation for being lucky, attracting customers from far and wide.
On March 6, 2007, during the draw for the largest ever jackpot of $390 million, ticket sales in Virginia soared to over 10,500 tickets per minute. This statistic underscores the immense popularity and excitement surrounding such massive jackpots.
Washington's second jackpot winners were a couple who emigrated from Laos. The wife, raised in an orphanage and later adopted by American parents, decided to use part of their winnings to return to Laos and search for her biological parents. Their story is a touching reminder of the personal journeys that lottery winnings can facilitate.
These stories of Mega Millions winners are not just about the money but about the dreams, aspirations, and sometimes quirky desires that come with sudden wealth. From community service to personal joy, these winners have shown that a lottery win can lead to a variety of unexpected and heartwarming outcomes.
For more fascinating stories about lottery winners, check out CNN's coverage on lottery winners and NBC News' feature on the biggest lottery jackpots.
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Lottery Scam
If did not buy a lottery ticket before the actual draw, you cannot become a lottery winner. It’s a Rule. No exceptions. If somebody sends you a huge cheque with your “lottery winning” while you cannot remember buying any lotto tickets before, beware, it’s a lottery scam.
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