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Posts tagged as “Mega Millions”

Georgia Resident Gregory Jarrett Cleans Room, Finds $1 Million Powerball Ticket

By goodblacknews on March 1, 2014
Gregory Jarrett
Decatur resident Gregory Jarrett, 26, found a winning $1 million Powerball ticket while cleaning his room. (Photo Credit: Georgia Lottery)

This story might get a few folks cleaning house more often — according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Decatur, GA resident Gregory Jarrett, 26, found a forgotten, winning $1 million Powerball ticket while cleaning his room.  “I was sitting on the ticket and didn’t even know it,” Jarrett said.
Jarrett matched the first five winning numbers in the January 15 drawing and claimed his prize February 18.  He bought the ticket at the Northside Food Mart in the 500-block of 548 Northside Drive N.W.  He used his siblings’ birthdays when selecting the winning numbers.
“I called for my mom, and I walked toward her, shaking,” he recalled. “She verified it, and at that point, we hugged.”  Jarrett said he will pay off bills with the winnings.
Saturday’s Powerball jackpot is an estimated $60 million to a single annuity winner. The Mega Millions game is up to $216 million for Friday’s drawing.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Ira Curry: Georgia Mega Millions Winner To Claim $173.8 Million

By goodblacknews on December 20, 2013

Ira-Curry
Georgia lottery officials said a Mega Millions winner came forward today to claim her share of the $636 million jackpot.  Ira Curry, of Stone Mountain, Ga., is $318 million richer and is one of two lucky ticket holders who will split the second largest jackpot in the game’s history.  Lottery officials said Curry purchased the ticket in Atlanta at Gateway Newsstand and chose the numbers herself by picking family birthdays and throwing in the lucky number seven.
Georgia Lottery chief executive Debbie Alford said Curry, who has so far stayed out of the spotlight, plans to take the lump sum payout, a cool $123 million after taxes.  A second winning ticket was sold in San Jose, Calif., at Jenny’s Gift Shop, California lottery officials said. That person has not yet come forward.  The winning numbers from Tuesday night’s drawing were: 8, 14, 17, 20, 39; Mega Ball: 7.
The $636 million jackpot grew from a modest $12 million prize in October. Twenty-one winless drawings later, it became the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, according to lottery officials. The record jackpot was a $656 million Mega Millions prize in March 2012.  Last October, Mega Millions changed its rules to increase the jackpot by lowering the odds of winning. The chance of winning the jackpot is now about 1 in 259 million. Before the rules changed, the odds were 1 in 176 million.
Mega Millions revamped its game after Powerball ticket prices doubled from $1 to $2 in January 2012, accounting for the swelling jackpots and tons of media attention.  Mega Millions is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
article via newsone.com

Willie McPherson And Christopher Manzi Win Mega Millions Jackpot After Playing Together For 25 Years

By goodblacknews on October 6, 2012

It took persistence, but 25 years of effort paid off big time for two old friends in New York.
Willie McPherson, 74, and Christopher Manzi, 44, won a $14 million jackpot last month playing the Mega Millions lottery, according to the New York Post. The two had been buying lottery tickets together for a quarter of a century after becoming friends while working at Manzi’s print shop in Manhattan.  Despite having spent a sizable amount of cash on their lottery habit over the years, neither McPherson nor Manzi shelled out a dime for the winning ticket. As part of a lottery promotion, they received two Quick Picks for free.
“We won $14 million on a free play ticket,” McPherson told to the New York Daily News. “[It feels] beautiful.”
The pair opted to take the prize in one lump sum, which, after taxes, comes out to about $3.5 million each. Media accounts indicated the two may celebrate in Miami.
Kyu’s Coffee Shop, which gave McPherson the winning ticket, received $10,000 for its hand in the deal, NBC News reported.

California Resident Ronald Willis Wins $120 Million Lottery

By goodblacknews on September 17, 2012

After six years of playing his lucky numbers, Ronald Willis finally hit the jackpot. But this time, he strayed from his usual spots in Rialto to purchase a ticket in Riverside.

Willis’ fiancée says she was the first to figure out he’d won the $120 million Mega Millions jackpot. When asked if he knew he had the winning numbers, Willis was convinced he’d bought his ticket in Rialto, not Riverside.