Minnesota couple claims $180 million Powerball jackpot

May 6, 2008, 5:40 pm (35 comments)

Powerball

Paul and Sue Rosenau are Minnesota's newest millionaires.

The Waseca couple appeared this afternoon at a news conference at Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville, introduced as the lucky winners of Saturday's $180.1 million Powerball drawing. The Rosenaus said they'll take the lump-sum payment of $88 million, or $59.6 million after taxes.

The Rosenaus, both 54, hit the largest Powerball jackpot in state history. The Rosenaus have three adult children, and just last week had their second grandchild. Their first grandchild, Makayla, died as a toddler from a genetic disorder five years to the day of the Powerball drawing.

"I guess there was divine intervention," Paul Rosenau said. "This happened for a reason."

They said they don't intend to change much in their lives, for now. They'll keep their jobs and intend to remain in Waseca, but they have already unlisted their phone number.

As for what they'll do with the money, Sue Rosenau has ideas of a trip to Hawaii while Paul Rosenau spoke of philanthropic plans, including giving money for research toward the disorder that took their granddaughter's life.

The Rosenaus were accompanied to Roseville today by their accountant, Dale DeRaad.

"They are just excited," DeRaad said this morning. "They are just wonderful people."

In matching all five white balls and the red Powerball, the winners defied the staggering odds of 1 in 146,107,962 to win the jackpot. DeRaad said the couple has played the lottery occasionally in the past, but bought only one ticket for Saturday's drawing.

Paul Rosenau said he bought the ticket at a HyVee store in Faribault, Minn.

The winning numbers were 2, 28, 36, 42 and 46 and the Powerball 40.

DeRaad said the Rosenaus client called him at 7 a.m. Monday to tell him that they held winning ticket. DeRaad said he made a photocopy of the ticket.

The Rosenaus are the 20th Powerball jackpot winner in the state since the game began in 1992.

Minnesota's biggest Powerball winners

  • June 30, 1999: Farrah Slad, Brainerd, won $150 million.  Took cash option of $78.8 million.
  • Aug. 14, 2004: Mary Beth and David Wenell of Eden Prairie won $98.6 million.  They took cash option of $53.1 million.
  • Oct. 25, 2003: Sixteen employees of Holdingford, Minn., schools won $95.5 million.  Took cash option of $49.7 million.
  • Aug. 25, 2001: Sheryel Hanuman, Minneapolis, won one-fourth of a $295 million jackpot ($73.7 million).  She took the cash option of $41.4 million for her share.
  • Oct. 30, 1999: John and Sandy Wynne, Oakdale, won $61.1 million.  Took cash option of $31 million.
  • March 4, 2000: Keith and Carol Goergen, Elgin, Minn., won one-third of a $150.1 million jackpot.  Took cash option of $25.9 million.
  • Sept. 26, 1998: Ron and Jenny Cronkhite, Moorhead, won $49.2 million.  Took cash option of $28.4 million.

Sue and Paul Rosenau are the winners of the largest lottery prize ever awarded in Minnesota — the $180.1 million Powerball. The couple said they won the jackpot exactly five years after the death of their 2-year-old granddaughter. Sue Rosenau said they must have an angel.
(Click for full-size image.) Sue and Paul Rosenau are the winners of the largest lottery prize ever awarded in Minnesota — the $180.1 million Powerball. The couple said they won the jackpot exactly five years after the death of their 2-year-old granddaughter. Sue Rosenau said they must have an angel.

Star Tribune

Comments

Todd's avatarTodd

Congratulations to the very happy couple!

JackpotWanna's avatarJackpotWanna

WTG! Good people won.  Wow only 1 ticket!

doubledee32

The said they want to keep their day jobs and help people-I'm SURE now that everyone knows who they are they'll get thier chance!!!-LOLWink

JackpotWanna's avatarJackpotWanna

Quote: Originally posted by doubledee32 on May 6, 2008

The said they want to keep their day jobs and help people-I'm SURE now that everyone knows who they are they'll get thier chance!!!-LOLWink

I think that is the only mistake they made but most likely only talk to sound humble.  Once they see thousands of people begging for a handout, they will come to their senses.  Why the rush to claim the prize within a few days?  Enjoy the moment for you got 1 full year to claim the prize.

JWBlue

Quote: Originally posted by JackpotWanna on May 6, 2008

WTG! Good people won.  Wow only 1 ticket!

Doesn't it always happen that way?

konane's avatarkonane

Congratulations to the Roseneaus!!!!  Party

NightTrain1234's avatarNightTrain1234

How boring, another winner that wants to stay the same after winning 60 million after taxes.   Why bother playing the lottery then?   They should have already quit their jobs and started planning to live the high life.     That's what winning the Powerball jackpot is all about!

We need another Jack Whittaker type winner.

DC81's avatarDC81

Then you better hope I win the Mega Millions because things would certainly change if I won. Unfortunately I'd try hard to remain hidden so hopefully none of you would know about it. :D

 

I think most people who say things won't change (which is like all of them when they do these interviews) are kidding themselves.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Congrats to the lucky couple!

rage

The Waseca couple appeared this afternoon at a news conference at Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville, introduced as the lucky winners of Saturday's $180.1 million Powerball drawing. The Rosenaus said they'll take the lump-sum payment of $88 million, or $59.6 million after taxes.

 

can someone please explain to me how the jackpot is advertised at 180m million and the lump sum payment is only 88 million

and then the after tax amount is a insanely low amount of 59.6 million. i always thought that the lump sum payment was

the amount u would get after taxes??  i know that i am probably wrong but it just sounds like false advertisement to me.

has anyone ever did the math as far as what the tax amount would be if people took the 30 year payments? i could be wrong

again but i do not believe that after 30 years of payments that you would only receive 59.6 million out of a 180 million dollar jackpot.

Littleoldlady's avatarLittleoldlady

I can't believe they have GROWN CHILDREN and did not put them on the ticket also..seems like they haven't done much planning.

spy153's avatarspy153

Congrats to the Couple!  I would love to be going to Hawaii with ya! 

Rage, MUSL says the advertised amount is the amount you get when you take the 30 year annuity.  If you take the cash up front lump sum, it was advertised at 88 million.  They explain, "that is the amount we have on hand to pay the winner straight up."  After Federal and State taxes (which varies, according to each state) the winners only got the low amount mentioned.  The advertised amount, they say, is the amount you get over a period of 30 years, with the interest that is accrued.  But you can do the same thing with the cash option if you are smart with it.  So, in the future, if you want to know what you have actually won, look at the advertised amount and take off the federal and state taxes.  Or you can check out USAMega.com and KNOW how it breaks down by using the Jackpot Analysis link on the left of the page. 

And as far as their children not being on the ticket, well....They might know their kids and how well they would handle the money and decided keep in their name.  And there is the off chance (that has been the case in my family) where one kid would handle money great and the others need to be constantly bailed out of trouble no matter how much money they had to begin with.  And some kids, well, aren't very respectful of their parents enough to deserve such a thing in the first place., no matter how much we love them.

HiYoSilver

Congrats to the Rosenau's. Looks like a good story in the making. I would be willing to bet we do not hear much from them after this.

It is my understanding that you cannot put anyone else besides husband and wife on the tickiet because that would constitute a lottery club, which, would have to have been formed ahead of time.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by rage on May 7, 2008

The Waseca couple appeared this afternoon at a news conference at Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville, introduced as the lucky winners of Saturday's $180.1 million Powerball drawing. The Rosenaus said they'll take the lump-sum payment of $88 million, or $59.6 million after taxes.

 

can someone please explain to me how the jackpot is advertised at 180m million and the lump sum payment is only 88 million

and then the after tax amount is a insanely low amount of 59.6 million. i always thought that the lump sum payment was

the amount u would get after taxes??  i know that i am probably wrong but it just sounds like false advertisement to me.

has anyone ever did the math as far as what the tax amount would be if people took the 30 year payments? i could be wrong

again but i do not believe that after 30 years of payments that you would only receive 59.6 million out of a 180 million dollar jackpot.

Yes, if you want detailed information about how the cash and annuity values are determined, go to the USA Mega Powerball FAQ page and scroll down to the question, "Why is the cash option different than the advertised jackpot?".

I'd recommend checking out the rest of the info on that page too.  Other useful pages at USA Mega can be found in the left-side navigation on the site, as well as in the drop-down menus.

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