INDIANAPOLIS, In. — The Hoosier Lottery said Friday that April 2011 will go down as a big month for Powerball players in Indiana who have won back-to-back jackpots totaling nearly $300 million.
A pair of welders from Clarksville, Ind. claimed the first jackpot of $221.7 million and the holder of the $74 million ticket from the April 23 drawing is Hoosier native, William "Bill" Swanson II of Houston, TX.
Hoosier Lottery Executive Director Kathryn Densborn presented Swanson with his winnings at a press conference at Hoosier Lottery Headquarters in Indianapolis Friday afternoon.
Swanson is a Hoosier by birth and a geoscientist by profession. He was born in Gary and grew up in Merrillville , in Northwestern Indiana, approximately 40 miles southeast of Chicago. Swanson is a graduate of Indiana University. He was in Merrillville visiting his 81-year-old mother, Marilyn Swanson, for Easter when he purchased a quick-pick Powerball ticket that turned out to be worth $74 million.
Bill Swanson purchased his winning ticket at Meijer located at 611 W. Lincoln Hwy. (just west of I-65 at exit 253.) The scientist defied odds of one in more than 195 million (1:195,249,054) when the six numbers on his Powerball ticket matched all six numbers drawn in the April 23 drawing: 3-11-47-48-58 PB: 19.
Swanson had the option of receiving $74 million as a 30 year annuity or in a lump sum of $37.7 million (before taxes). He opted to take the current cash value and received approximately $27 million after taxes.
Swanson and his mother buy Powerball tickets in Merrillville whenever he comes to visit. They purchased two tickets for the $74 million drawing.
He had already gone back to Houston when Marilyn checked the tickets and discovered the win. She called him right away. He hopped on a plane and flew back to Merrillville that night.
Swanson says he plans to spoil his mother who grew up in the Depression, the fifth of ten children, in a one bedroom home. She was widowed a couple years ago after 58 years of marriage.
"She can live rest of her life exactly the way she wants," said Bill Swanson. "She will never have to go to a nursing home."
The first item of business for Swanson is moving his mother near him in Houston. He is buying her a house and a red Cadillac. As for himself, Swanson is not sure if he will retire. He plans to take some time off to get his affairs in order and determine the best course of action.
"I enjoy my job. I need to spend a little time thinking about it before I retire," said Bill Swanson.
Swanson says he ultimately does plan to take it a little easy and looks forward to being able to take vacations with his thirteen-year old son. They both enjoy scuba diving.
Swanson's win marks back-to-back Powerball wins in Indiana. The jackpot had been rolling since April 6 when it was hit for $221.7 million in Clarksville, Ind. That prize was claimed April 21 by Todd Reardon and Darin Fox of Clarksville.
The Merrillville win also marks the 38th time a Hoosier Lottery retailer has sold a jackpot-winning Powerball ticket. Indiana leads the nation in Powerball wins. Powerball is now played in 44 jurisdictions. The net income generated from sale of Powerball in Indiana is turned over to the state of Indiana. Last year, the Hoosier Lottery transferred $190 million to the state where it was allocated to teachers, police and firefighters retirement funds as well as the Build Indiana Fund which ultimately reduces Hoosiers' license plate costs.
The $74 million win is especially big news for Lake County, which adds a Powerball jackpot win to its roster of jackpot wins including a $54.5 million Hoosier Lotto jackpot hit in East Chicago in 2007 (the largest Hoosier Lotto jackpot ever) and a $46.5 million Mega Millions® jackpot won by a family in Dyer, Ind. in February of this year (the first - and so far only - Mega Millions® jackpot hit in Indiana.)
Swanson's win is big news for Meijer as well. The store will receive a $100,000 bonus (1% of the jackpot capped at $100,000) for selling the winning ticket.
Congratulations to Mr. Swanson! Awesome win, WTG!
What a wonderful way to care for his mother! "Swanson says he plans to spoil his mother who grew up in the Depression, the fifth of ten children, in a one bedroom home. ........"She can live rest of her life exactly the way she wants," said Bill Swanson. "She will never have to go to a nursing home."
My Mom grew up in the Depression also; they suffered but were happy.
It is nice that he can "take care" of her .................. talk about doing what is right !!!!!!!!!!
HOW MANY TICKETS DID THEY PLAY? $1 QUICK PICK OR $2 QUICK PICKS
"He was in Merrillville visiting his 81-year-old mother, Marilyn Swanson, for Easter when he purchased a quick-pick Powerball ticket that turned out to be worth $74 million."
"Swanson and his mother buy Powerball tickets in Merrillville whenever he comes to visit. They purchased two tickets for the $74 million drawing."
Swanson is indeed a very, lucky scientist who wants to take care of his mother by doing the right thing. Blessings and peace to him and his family.
Since he is not sure he wants to retire yet, and we do not know how many years he has left for retirement, he can somewhat take it easy: sit back, chill (no pressure), and relax. Boy, it must be nice to be in that siutation -- in which all lottery post readers hope to be in, too!
Finally, Mr. Swanson, my advice, life is short: it is supposed to be lived richly.
Blessings and peace, Mr. Swanson.
Two tickets.
Both Quick Picks.
I sincerely hope they were quality numbers.
Or digits or whatever the experts call them.
Me, I'm going to start calling them quantitative indicator devices.
See if that helps.
I'll letcha know.
Congratulations to the PB jackpot winner. I didn't know that Indiana have won two straight Powerball jackpots.
"....Indiana scientist wins $74M Powerball lottery jackpot.......
He was in Merrillville visiting his 81-year-old mother, Marilyn Swanson, for Easter when he purchased a quick-pick Powerball ticket that turned out to be worth $74 million."
Absolutely priceless. I'm sure many here saw scientist in the thread title and thought somone had cracked the code.
Congrats to Mr. Swanson , ENJOY !
Congrats to Mr. Bill Swanson & his Mother......
he sure is a dumber...there is a big difference between: $74 Million and $27 Million dollars...Is a difference of: $47 Million dollars plus you never know where you will be: 30 years from now...
If he wanted to dump the $47 Million he could had use it to further expand his research in geophysics or geoscience..Dude should be tied and whip/lash everyday for 5 years, hate when people do that...There are lots of people out there in different fields who dont love their fields/work/discipline...didnt even wanted to answer this post..
Seriously, many times in the past ive thought that many cases like that is the reason why many people end up kidnapped across the USA...Jesus think of geoscientists in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia...
when i tell you that mankind is half animal half human i am serious dont care WHO you are...
there is a LOT of people in the USA with mental illnesses...
if you tired of geoscience/geophysics research/study, TRY AGRICULTURE if you tired of agriculture, try Flora/plants if you tired of it, try the ocean subfloor, tired of it try metals, tired of it try hydrology/liquids/fluids, ect, ect....
they look like quality qp's to me
if he wanted to dump: $47 Million dollars something he could had created with that money is: Dolphins exibitions around the world or marine aquariums around the world for there is none around the world...
or an acupuncture Salon/Centers around the world for they are none...or chiropractice centers around the world because there are few of them around the world...
is CRIMINAL throwing money like that in the thrash...
THINK OF AUSTRALIA...
think of the USA country sides, or countries country sides...Could create a huge garden around the world in parks or places that sell plants or a plants zoo...There is an infinate number of things you can do with it....Create a huge park/huge recreation park for TODDLERS OR KIDS younger than 5 years old...in the USA OR AROUND THE WORLD...DUDE THERE IS 200 COUNTRIES WITH PROVINCES...
such an act is not criminal is HOMICIDAL AS IN HOMICIDE...
there are MANY territories that are not countries in the world, you know islands and stuffs like that...
you know something else you can do, there are babies who will be aborted, take care of them save them from the guillotine, pay to send them to schools and educate them and if you have more money do everything possible to give them a job...there are DOGS who get killed, save them from the guillotine...Again there is an infinate number of things you can do...
THERE IS AN INFINATE NUMBER OF EXPERIMENTS AND STUDIES....YES I SAID, INFINATE...
I agree i would have taken the annuity
With value of the Dollar & the National Debt, I would take the money & run!
Cash & wise investments are the way to go!
He is actually smart!!!!!!!!!
You are a bossy sort of person huh?
Congratulations, Bill Swanson, on your huge Powerball Lottery ticket win in Indiana!
It's a wonderful win. Though, when won in Indiana you're taxed at their state's 3.4% vs. the 0% state tax you would have paid if you had won in your state of residence, Texas.
Yet, if you had purchased your ticket in Texas you may have not won. Nobody can easily follow the logic of those w/w wacky 'lottery jackpot win causing fairies.'
I understand the jab, but I need some quality QPs. Last MM draw I had 1-18-19-21-22 and MB-22 but I so I ended up getting another 3 lines. I tend to just not look at my numbers until after the draw, or at least 9pm when they stop selling, so I don't have the thought in my head that they're not good numbers. The most I've ever won came on a line where many people would say "there's no way that could win", but yet enough numbers hit.
Sorry just felt like rambling a bit, haha.
Congratulations to this guy, though, getting a jackpot win while out of state. Maybe another Texan can bring home the MM tonight. If I ever won I've thought about getting a Mustang and just cruising around the US for a bit, stopping at a few gas stations along the way in other states to buy lotto tickets. How cool would that be, winning a high prize while celebrating a jackpot win.
pumpi76, what is wrong with you? And you call the winner dumb????? He did not dump $47 million.
with the $47 Million or $37 Million he could had raise turkeys, or sheep or goats and then sell their meat as a product or buy cows and and use their milk only to create a yogurt company or create a soy milk mixed with carrots juice company around the world....He could create an asparagus company...again an infinate number of things he could had done with that money...
I'm surprised no one has commented on the line: "Indiana leads the nation in Powerball wins." I thought lots of people on here thought it was NY.
ttech10: "If I ever won I've thought about getting a Mustang and just cruising around the US for a bit, stopping at a few gas stations along the way in other states to buy lotto tickets. How cool would that be, winning a high prize while celebrating a jackpot win."
OMG - I LOVE that!!!! I think I now have a new item to add to my "when I win the lottery" list!!! Thanks, ttech!
pumpi76, before giving someone advice on how to spend their money, learn how US lotteries work and how much money he really won.
is not just him is many other cases ive read here and in the news since when you care what i type...jee with those $47 million he could had help people with mental illness....i dont care if the difference is only of $5 million dollars plus he calls himself a scientist...thats why GOD punishes us....
is wrong any ways no matter what but also what part of a recesson cant you read....
Article should be titled, "Texas resident, scientist, etc. buys winning ticket in INDIANA."
with $100,000 in the bank at: 4% or 3% or 5% or whatever percentage, that´s: 80 chicken burgers in 1 month, 250 cucumbers, 250 mangos, 250 shampooes, 166 lotion creams, 80 wallets, 25 alarm clocks, 80 multivatimins for the eyesight give it to somebody, 25 calculators, 50 windshield wipers, 50 door matts, can list you a library of things, ect, ect, ECT...month after month after month...you could take 1 shampoo and tell a teen/homeless to walk your dog for 4 days and he gets 1 shampoo free.....
dont you got bugs in your house you know how many insecticides that is, mosquitoe lottions, does your feet/toes smell superb because they dont...deodorant expensive soap like coast you know how many coast soaps that is, dont let me start...
you know how many cutips those are...you know how many BBBAAABBY FOOD THOSE ARE, you can always give it to somebody...you know how many pet hair cuts those are....
you know how many toothbrush those are to clean your pet mouth, pet fingernail clippers...you know how many suchi those are, expensive airfresher, air cleaner aparatus, you must have not like Rolex or Bulova or Swiss Army watches you know how many rolex watches those are....buy your baby/toddler a rolex watch...
buy your cousin toddler a rolex watch...