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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Unemployed woman gets lotto winnings after 4 years Maine Lottery: Unemployed woman gets lotto winnings after 4 years51 Rating:NEWPORT, Maine — An unemployed woman who won $1 million in a Maine State Lottery game has collected her winnings — four years after she bought the scratch ticket in a store that's since burned down. Brenda Ripton told the Central Maine Morning Sentinel that she had received her $700,000 check from the lottery on Thursday. Ripton had just learned two days earlier that she won the million-dollar prize in the Texas Hold 'em game. The government took the rest of her winnings for taxes. Ripton said both she and her husband are out of work. Her winnings came in a second-chance lottery in which non-winners fill out the back of the ticket. It took this long to declare winners because the state had to sell all of its Texas Hold 'em tickets first. AP We'd love to see your comments here! Register for a FREE membership — it takes just a few moments — and you'll be able to post comments here and on any of our forums. If you're already a member, you can Log In to post a comment. 11 comments. Last comment 4 years ago by . Midlands, SC United States Member #70200 January 14, 2009 299 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 19, 2009, 8:46 am - IP Logged | |
4 years later....wow....better late than never. Probably had she gotten it then it would be long gone by now when they truly need it. I guess it's true what the bible thumpers say around here.....God might not come when you want him to but he's always on time! Good for them. | | |
ky United States Member #38179 April 19, 2006 90 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 19, 2009, 10:20 am - IP Logged | |
another story that makes people feel good---like me | | |
North Carolina United States Member #65081 September 1, 2008 302 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 19, 2009, 10:46 am - IP Logged | |
I agree with you dopey! As the economy was going down the toliet, one thing I kept thinking was...had I won the lottery even last summer, I would have invested most of it in mutuals, stocks, and real estate. I would have lost a ton of money, if not almost all of it. So if I win now, I know I can get great deals on real estate, but to be cautious; that I can invest, but to spread it out more; that even if someone was in charge of the Dow Jones, you still need to check them out; and to keep some in the bank, to remain untouched (although make sure it's the top amount that's FDIC insured), in fact, maybe a few different banks. I love to streamline, but this economy has taught me to diversify. Oh, and to pay everything off!! I've read lots of real estate books and most of them talked about buying a place at 5% down, fixing it up, renting it out, then using the home equity line to buy another house and going down the line. I bet those guys have lost everything! I'd rather pay all or most of it and make sure you have enough for taxes every year. | | |
United States United States Member #68752 December 16, 2008 168 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 19, 2009, 1:36 pm - IP Logged | |
another story that makes people feel good---like me  I agree....nice.
"Wait eagerly for the Lord, and keep to the way; God wil raise you to possess the land; you will gloat when the wicked are cut off". Psalms 37:34 | | |
Idaho United States Member #56982 November 21, 2007 3939 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 19, 2009, 2:23 pm - IP Logged | |
It took 4 years to sell all of the tickets? Don't most states end the games once the top prizes are sold out. "No one remembers the person who almost climbed the mountain, only the person who eventually gets to the top."
ThatScaryChick | | |
West Side of Sunny Florida United States Member #55518 September 8, 2007 3371 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 19, 2009, 2:39 pm - IP Logged | |
I agree with you dopey! As the economy was going down the toliet, one thing I kept thinking was...had I won the lottery even last summer, I would have invested most of it in mutuals, stocks, and real estate. I would have lost a ton of money, if not almost all of it. So if I win now, I know I can get great deals on real estate, but to be cautious; that I can invest, but to spread it out more; that even if someone was in charge of the Dow Jones, you still need to check them out; and to keep some in the bank, to remain untouched (although make sure it's the top amount that's FDIC insured), in fact, maybe a few different banks. I love to streamline, but this economy has taught me to diversify. Oh, and to pay everything off!! I've read lots of real estate books and most of them talked about buying a place at 5% down, fixing it up, renting it out, then using the home equity line to buy another house and going down the line. I bet those guys have lost everything! I'd rather pay all or most of it and make sure you have enough for taxes every year. good point with the real estate comments. I was in the industry since 95 and just got out. And yes those who bought investment property with nothing down are now in rough shape if the property is empty, even for a short time. The real key is not what you put down but the PERCENTAGE that is NETS you. And it is REALLY nice to see a unemployed person get winnings!! Money won is twice as good as money earned! | | |
Maryland United States Member #10659 January 14, 2005 5149 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 20, 2009, 12:06 pm - IP Logged | |
It took 4 years to sell all of the tickets? Don't most states end the games once the top prizes are sold out. Makes you wonder,...... doesn't it?  Feeling, PRICELESS!!! | | |
Massachusetts United States Member #37842 April 14, 2006 967 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 20, 2009, 8:11 pm - IP Logged | |
This post leaves more questions than answers. Like did the winner know she had won 4 years ago or did she just find out? Supposing she didnt know her ticket was the winner; Who keeps a lottery ticket for 4 years waiting for a draw? And if the Maine lottery commission knew the jackpot prize was gone, did they keep advertising like it still was there to be won? If they did ; is that legal? | | |
taylor, MI United States Member #65783 September 22, 2008 1681 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 21, 2009, 11:34 am - IP Logged | |
Good ending, strange story. I agree, who keeps a ticket for 4 years! I glad she got her winnings. | | |
Texas United States Member #59221 February 24, 2008 59 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 21, 2009, 11:49 am - IP Logged | |
This post leaves more questions than answers. Like did the winner know she had won 4 years ago or did she just find out? Supposing she didnt know her ticket was the winner; Who keeps a lottery ticket for 4 years waiting for a draw? And if the Maine lottery commission knew the jackpot prize was gone, did they keep advertising like it still was there to be won? If they did ; is that legal? She lost 4 years ago on a scratch off. The game had a second chance drawing, so she filled out the ticket and mailed it in to be entered into a drawing. So, 4 years later after all the scratch offs had been sold, they drew the winning ticket for a $1 million second chance prize, and she won. Luck is the residue of design. | | |
United States Member #63852 July 26, 2008 1427 Posts Offline | | Posted: April 22, 2009, 2:16 am - IP Logged | |
It took 4 years to sell all of the tickets? Don't most states end the games once the top prizes are sold out. My thoughts exactly ScaryChick. That's really wild. I smell fish, do you? | | |
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