Mega lottery winners to leave 'check-by-check' days

Feb 25, 2008, 4:42 pm (77 comments)

After the Big Win

Day three in the lives of Georgia's newest multi-millionaires began with a round of interviews on Monday morning television shows for the winners of Friday night's $270 million Mega Millions jackpot.

Robert and Tonya Harris were expected to present their winning ticket to Georgia Lottery officials later in the day for validation, but Tonya Harris said early Monday that the couple's family was already plotting ways to spend some of the windfall.

Robert Harris, a 47-year-old iron worker from the small southeast Georgia hamlet of Portal, said he picked the winning numbers — 7, 12, 13, 19, 22, plus the Mega Ball number 10 — based on his grandchildren's birthdays.

At a family dinner over the weekend, those grandchildren began discussing what they wanted from the winnings, Tonya Harris said.

"A dirt bike. Four-wheelers. A Hummer 3, on and on and on," she said in an interview on Fox 5's Good Day Atlanta. "Things you dream about, as far as the Hummer 3's. Still, it just hasn't dawned on us yet that you can just go out and get it."

Tonya Harris said she doesn't want to be changed by the newfound wealth.

"We've really never had a whole lot in life," she said. "We've lived check-by-check. We want to build a home, get some land, do things for the grand babies, maybe travel a little bit. But as far as buying fancy things, that's not us."

Her husband told Fox 5 the one thing he had always wanted that he will now buy is a "big four-wheel drive truck."

Earlier Monday, Tonya Harris told CNN that "God blessed us... God is a good God."

She said the attention is "still just overwhelming to us."

The Harrises plan to have a "good friend" who is a lawyer and CPA set up their finances "for future generations."

"Hopefully, things will go well even after we're gone," she said.

Robert Harris said he plans to take the winnings in a lump sum. According to the Georgia Lottery Corp., that's about $164 million before taxes.

Harris said he and his wife would soon move out of their mobile home, but he wasn't sure they'd move out of town.

The ticket was sold at Clyde's Market on U.S. 80 in Portal, a farming town of about 600 between Statesboro and Swainsboro.

AJC

Tags for this story

Other popular tags

Comments

delS

First, I congradulate them for their winnings.  I was hoping it was one family.  I sure wish iy was mine, but Im not hating. 

I know that LP members are just divided on the "anonomity issue" as the country is divided Republican vs. Democrat; or Obama vs. Clinton; male or female.  The fact that they have come out and made the talk show rounds, really starting Sunday, while tax, legal and financial businesses are closed disturbs me for their sake.  Even Lottery officials will tell you to take some time to get credible advice from tax, legal and financial persons. 

$164,000,000 is no chump change.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by delS on Feb 25, 2008

First, I congradulate them for their winnings.  I was hoping it was one family.  I sure wish iy was mine, but Im not hating. 

I know that LP members are just divided on the "anonomity issue" as the country is divided Republican vs. Democrat; or Obama vs. Clinton; male or female.  The fact that they have come out and made the talk show rounds, really starting Sunday, while tax, legal and financial businesses are closed disturbs me for their sake.  Even Lottery officials will tell you to take some time to get credible advice from tax, legal and financial persons. 

$164,000,000 is no chump change.

NADER 4 PRESIDENT 2008 !!!

as for the lucky stiffs .... and thar dreams of a H3 and such nonsense I still say I hope they end up on our list of what not to do when ya get that lucky

mken32's avatarmken32

He's just Mad he didn't win...... hater..

hjones

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Feb 25, 2008

NADER 4 PRESIDENT 2008 !!!

as for the lucky stiffs .... and thar dreams of a H3 and such nonsense I still say I hope they end up on our list of what not to do when ya get that lucky

If Nader becomes president, then America might have to change its name to USSA,

like  the old USSR.  Get the drift? 

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Feb 25, 2008

NADER 4 PRESIDENT 2008 !!!

as for the lucky stiffs .... and thar dreams of a H3 and such nonsense I still say I hope they end up on our list of what not to do when ya get that lucky

Well I don't hope for their downfall. I hope things work out for them and their family. Why wish bad things on these people?

duckman's avatarduckman

Just think: If Nader would have won that $270 million Mega Millions jackpot he could finance his campaign.

:)

spy153's avatarspy153

Her husband told Fox 5 the one thing he had always wanted that he will now buy is a "big four-wheel drive truck."

 

My hubby has told me if we win this is what he wants as well.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

"Mega lottery winners to leave 'check-by-check."

 Yeah, no crap. God? I doubt it, it is called luck.

SmoothJuice

I don't get it, they said "Thank God, God is a good God".  In the Christian Religion, gambling, like lottery, is a sin.   Winning the lottery is not something you thank God for.

BobP's avatarBobP

Quote: Originally posted by SmoothJuice on Feb 26, 2008

I don't get it, they said "Thank God, God is a good God".  In the Christian Religion, gambling, like lottery, is a sin.   Winning the lottery is not something you thank God for.

Gambling is only a sin if you're betting the rent money leaving your family for the church to care for and don't give 10% of your winnings to the church.  There are some fringes that won't take bingo money and such, one even told a winner to burn their lottery ticket.  God doesn't care if you play lotto, it is a state approved activity.   If you're worried about evil money just send it to me and I will clean it for you.  Be warned though, sometimes the cleaning process also removes all the ink, you might get back white paper.

BobP

BobP's avatarBobP

"Robert Harris, a 47-year-old iron worker from the small southeast Georgia hamlet of Portal, said he picked the winning numbers — 7, 12, 13, 19, 22, plus the Mega Ball number 10 — based on his grandchildren's birthdays."

I gotta say this certainly marks paid to the theory about not playing only birthday numbers because you'll have to share the prize with dozens of other winners.  Everything we know is wrong.

BobP

chasingadream's avatarchasingadream

Quote: Originally posted by SmoothJuice on Feb 26, 2008

I don't get it, they said "Thank God, God is a good God".  In the Christian Religion, gambling, like lottery, is a sin.   Winning the lottery is not something you thank God for.

it depends on what their definition of gambling is.....to some, gambling is strictly dice and cards. Besides.....the bible says "In all thy ways acknowledge him". All means the good and the bad and if you would consider this the bad then they still followed his word by giving the Glory to God.

chasingadream's avatarchasingadream

Quote: Originally posted by BobP on Feb 26, 2008

Gambling is only a sin if you're betting the rent money leaving your family for the church to care for and don't give 10% of your winnings to the church.  There are some fringes that won't take bingo money and such, one even told a winner to burn their lottery ticket.  God doesn't care if you play lotto, it is a state approved activity.   If you're worried about evil money just send it to me and I will clean it for you.  Be warned though, sometimes the cleaning process also removes all the ink, you might get back white paper.

BobP

Green laugh

spy153's avatarspy153

Quote: Originally posted by BobP on Feb 26, 2008

"Robert Harris, a 47-year-old iron worker from the small southeast Georgia hamlet of Portal, said he picked the winning numbers — 7, 12, 13, 19, 22, plus the Mega Ball number 10 — based on his grandchildren's birthdays."

I gotta say this certainly marks paid to the theory about not playing only birthday numbers because you'll have to share the prize with dozens of other winners.  Everything we know is wrong.

BobP

I Agree!

Subscribe to this news story
Guest