2 Winning Tickets to Split Record Jackpot
Out of the millions who wanted to win mega-millions, the Big Game lottery came down to two tickets--one sold in Michigan, the other in Illinois--whose holders will split a record $363-million bounty.
Michigan lottery officials were contacted Wednesday by a “remarkably quite calm” man they believe holds one of the winning tickets. But Illinois officials had not heard from the ticket holder there.
The winning tickets to Tuesday night’s drawing in the seven-state lottery were sold at Mr. K’s Party Shoppe near Utica, 20 miles north of Detroit, and Sweeney’s Citgo in Lake Zurich, north of Chicago.
John Sweeney, owner of Sweeney’s Citgo, hit the jackpot too: a $1.8-million bonus for selling a winning ticket. But because of Michigan’s different rules, Mr. K’s owner, George Kassab, will get only $2,000.
“It’s a slap on the face,” son Mark Kassab said.
The jackpot easily topped the American record, a $295.7-million Powerball prize split by 13 machinists in Westerville, Ohio, two years ago.
Big Game tickets are sold in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia.
In Michigan, the man who claimed to have the winning numbers didn’t identify himself, but the validation numbers he recited from his ticket matched, lottery spokeswoman Sarah Lapshan said. He did not say where he was from or whether the ticket was his alone or bought for a group.
“I’m pretty confident this is the winning ticket,” Lapshan said.
The drawing capped days of frenzy that sent lottery veterans and first-time players alike scurrying for $1 chances at the big dream, despite odds of 76 million to 1 against getting all six numbers.
Some waited for several hours in lines at stores near non-Big Game states.
“At least I only lost a dollar,” said Robert Holland, a bartender at the East Atlanta Restaurant and Lounge.
Shirley Altz, a regular at the Michigan store that sold the winning ticket, said she flipped on the TV on Wednesday morning, saw the news and grabbed her $20 worth of tickets--but found no fortune.
Given her severe asthma, she said, it’s probably just as well.
“I could go into shock,” Altz said. “I hope whoever won it needed it and had a rough life.”
How much the winners will take home depends on state taxes in Michigan and Illinois.
Don Gilmer, Michigan lottery commissioner, estimated that the Michigan winner could get $7 million a year--$135,000 a week--over the next 26 years, before taxes. He said he couldn’t give an after-tax figure.
At Sweeney’s Citgo, Sweeney said the bonus was close to 10 years’ profits for all eight of the stores he owns.
He said he plans to use some of the money to pay bills and some to treat the employees and celebrate.
The winning numbers were 1, 2, 12, 33, 37 and Big Money Ball 4.
“We’re glad it’s over with,” Gilmer said. “The jackpot got to almost unrealistic heights.”