I agree.  I wonder why you are asking me this question & quoted me.   Maybe you misunderstood what I wrote or I wasn't clear.  I said  "Personally, I would try my best to keep it quiet until I make plans & move, but not everyone feels the same way." See this thread where I was giving advice to a new member.

http://www.lotterypost.com/thread/176555/1053254

I wrote:

Imagine driving home knowing you have a $100 million ticket in your hand.   Also, if you are one of the few lucky people who win a jackpot, you might want to keep the news private until you've caught your breath and made some plans.  We're all different, but I'd be paranoid if everyone at the supermarket heard someone yell "That lady has a $10 million ticket!"  I'd be looking in my rear view mirror all the way home! 

Anyway, whether or not we think it's crazy, many jackpot winners go to the store where they purchased their tickets and get them validated.

In Oregon you have to go back to the store where you bought the ticket for big winners - over $600.00.  No other store will be able to validate the ticket.  Smaller amounts can be paid out by any store that sells lottery tickets. If you take a big winner ticket to a different store when the clerk checks it on the machine they get some weird message back that apparently says something like (not real sure here cuz I've never seen the actual message they get ... just have seen the consequences) "it's a winner alright but they didn't buy the ticket at this store so tell em it's no good and try to just throw it away so we don't have to pay out on it".  That happened to me once ... I insisted on getting the ticket back, went to the store where I bought it, and it was a good one ... worth about $1200.

So you take it back to the store you bought it at, having first checked the numbers yourself at home and made sure it really is a big winner, and quietly get it validated.  If you know the clerks - or even if you don't - ask them nicely to keep quiet about your big win until after you leave the store.  Tuck the ticket and validation receipt carefully into your bra or some other very secure place.... walk out of the store calmly without running. Wait til you get home behind locked doors to do your yelling and whooping.     

When California first legalized a state-owned lottery, in order to overcome the vehement opposition to what is considered legalized gambling, the state enacted the provision that all payouts for all games were to be pari-mutuel. Pari-mutuel payouts guarantee that the state will receive a set percentage of the total amount wagered - it's a no-lose proposition. When MegaMillions came, the payouts for the lower-tier prizes were also made pari-mutuel, based on the sales within the state alone.

You hear about other states where, for instance, when the Pick 3 number is a popular one like 777, the total payout is more than what was wagered on the game for that day. The state publicizes this and cries all the way to the poorhouse. A likely story, since it seldom happens and nothing is ever said about the long-term gross profits, which are always close to the calculated payout percentage. Pari-mutuel payouts eliminate this, meaning California doesn't have to maintain a daily float to cover incidents like that.

NJ has the same pari-mutuel payouts.  Somehow I've never come out on the upside of that equation myself.  (Getting more than the avg. payout -- always less.)  I think pari-mutuel payouts for Pick 3 and Pick 4 stink.

As an interesting addition to your comments about California's lower-tier prizes, all of the states payout the lower-tier prizes from the ticket sales within that state.  Not just California.

The only prize funds shared are those for the jackpot, which is a straight percentage of sales.  Everything else (except for joint operating expenses) stays within the state.

California was approved with pari-mutuel prizes just because they are such a big state, so the Mega Millions states were willing to compromise.  If a state like Alaska wanted to join, I doubt they would make the same exception.

However, I would wager that they would make the exception foor Florida, if they came calling.

Just so everyone knows... It wasn't me either. I've just been quiet the last coupld days.

Now we've had a April Fools (which was also his birthday) winner and a Friday the 13th winner I wonder if it was their birthday also. Now what "special day" will the next Michigan winner hit on? Will it also be their birthday? If so that'll rule me out because there's nothing special about my birthday.

you see how people are already stalking the winner!? reason #495,293,492 why my attorney will claim mine through a trust - about nine months after the drawing! "We need the winner to call us" <-- why or what will happen? "we just can't wait to find out who is the winner" <-- you aint

SD:

Why wait so LONG>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>??????????

If U T@@K 25,000,000 mil to the BANK>>>>ASAP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

U would have gained about $250,000 on interest payout  $$$$$$$$$$$$$

PSYKO &  UR  lawyer could  LIVE  G@@D on  $250  G's for about  6  months

LOL

PSYKOMO

didn't know that - thanks for that advice .. and don't think i didn't catch that flirting with my money! you aint never gonna get it papa

Im from Michigan too. I didn't hit jackpot. I wish it was someone from here. It make this site more fun. Like ohh omg keepitreal hit jackpot in Michigan lol.

I live in Michigan and I know exactly where that store is that sold the winning ticket!  My wife has actually been in there before numerous times!  I used to drive past that store everyday on my way to work!   That is just so crazy that someone won the Big Mega Millions so close to where I live!   Way to go!!!!!!  On a sad note however it will now be statically impossible for another winner to be so close to where I live...i.e. ruling me out from winning now :(

Some bad info in this thread!

First, you don't have to go to the same retailer you bought it from to claim a ticket over $600 in Oregon - probably haven't had to for over 10 years.

Second - CA hasn't always had pari-mutuel prizes. You can thank our wonderful Supreme Court for legislating that one. No - it wasn't done to "get the lottery passed". Keno was a $400 million a year product before the Court ruling - the replacement, Hot Spot does a very small fraction of Keno's sales.

Lotto and Daily games took a hit too - you never know what you are playing for.

Since the Lottery Act was a Consitutional Amendment, it takes 2/3 of the Legislature to change it (which is what they would have to do to override the Supreme Court). Try getting 2/3 of our State Senators to agree on anything...

Hey, back in early 2006 Ohio had three winners in a row, first being a $15M winner followed by a 267 and 265 million dollar winner. So anything is possible!

But the next big one is mine. MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Hmm, looking on the MM site that 267 million dollar winner was actually 270. But still, two huge winners in the same state and back to back. They're also the sixth and seventh largest Mega Millions jackpots.

Looking into it even more by reading the press releases on the Ohio Lottery's website I see all three were claimed under trusts as well. The 15 and 267/270 million dollar winners were both won in Cleveland and the third 265M winner was in Cincinnati, granted those are the two most populated cities in Ohio but still three in a row including back to back in Cleveland says something and we don't know who they really are. So even more so, where you are doesn't matter. I think it's a little weird that a two to five million dollar difference in the annuities was a ten million dollar difference (150/149M) with the cash option, that seems like a lot and the difference seems like it shouldn't be that big.

Okay three post in a row, I really should stop doing that.... Anyway, don't give up!

No, I appreciate all your 3 posts in a row :)  It gives me "hope" again.   Now if only the gas prices will go down so I can have my extra spending cash for my tickets...