Indiana man wins $5M on scratch-off

Feb 23, 2012, 8:20 pm (58 comments)

Indiana Lottery

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A Muncie, Indiana, man is the latest lucky Hoosier to win big money from the Hoosier Lottery.

Ricky Wilber grew up in Muncie just blocks from the Village Pantry at 603 W. Jackson Street in Muncie where he won $5 million on a Hoosier Lottery Scratch-off.

"Great and unbelievable" is the way Wilber described his win.

Wilber won on a $100 Million Cash Extravaganza Scratch-off ticket. The Delaware County man took several days to get his affairs in order, to hire a lawyer and a tax advisor, before claiming his prize. As he presented his winning ticket to Lottery officials at Hoosier Lottery Headquarters February 21, he relived the moment when he finally hit it big.

"I ran back in the store and I jumped up and hit my head on the ceiling," said Wilber. "I said to the clerk, Kelsey, 'You wanna hug a millionaire?'"

Wilber brought Mark Shelton, his good buddy of more than 20 years, with him to Hoosier Lottery Headquarters to claim his winnings.

"When he first called me and said 'Guess what I just did?' I could only imagine what he had done now," said Shelton with a laugh. "I was relieved, but thought he was joking when he said he won $5 million, but I could tell by his voice that he wasn't. It couldn't happen to a better, nicer person."

Wilber has been a carpenter for more than 30 years, but recently found himself laid-off. He has no plans to quit working since his win, but hopes to be able to work for himself now. He has three grown children and a great-niece that he is close to. The day he purchased his winning ticket, he was out and about because he had taken his great-niece to Kmart to buy her a new outfit.

With his winnings, Wilber plans to take a vacation to visit family in Tennessee and to do something he has never done in his fifty-some years - see the ocean. He hopes to take it slow and easy and consult his financial advisor before jumping into any big spending projects. He plans to keep living in the same house he purchased from his father and to keep the truck he purchased not too long ago.

"I still can't see spending $60,000 on a truck," said Wilber. "I'm not materialistic."

Instead of receiving payment of the $5 million over 30 years, he opted to take a one-time lump-sum payment of $3.4 million before taxes.

WANE

Comments

mcginnin56

Yeahhhhhhh  for Ricky!!!

Why doesn't my state have tickets like this.  Banana   What?      Roll Eyes

New York's avatarNew York

Great motivational story. I like that he says he's not materialistic. 

$3.4 million is not too shabby. Cool

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by New York on Feb 23, 2012

Great motivational story. I like that he says he's not materialistic. 

$3.4 million is not too shabby. Cool

Yeah after state (3.4%) and federal (25%) taxes, he should walk away with $2,434,400  Not bad for a $20? scratch ticket! (Article didn't say).

ONEDAY's avatarONEDAY

all I can say is wow

NightStalker's avatarNightStalker

Good for him!  Now he can just be a part time carpenter!

TheRightPrice

Move me to Indiana cuz these Florida scratchers are scary!Scared

mcginnin56

I can remember as a young lad, my Mom telling me the scary story of: Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 "ate" 9.   Blush

Did your Mom tell you that one as well New York?   LOL

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by TheRightPrice on Feb 23, 2012

Move me to Indiana cuz these Florida scratchers are scary!Scared

Must be great scratchin' around Halloween I bet?   Yes Nod

New York's avatarNew York

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Feb 23, 2012

I can remember as a young lad, my Mom telling me the scary story of: Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 "ate" 9.   Blush

Did your Mom tell you that one as well New York?   LOL

Green laughROFL.

She sure did and it stuck wit' me since. Crazy

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by New York on Feb 23, 2012

Green laughROFL.

She sure did and it stuck wit' me since. Crazy

I had nightmares for months, until I found out in school "7" was just a number!   Unhappy

Like your new signature, Franklin was an amazing guy.

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

"With his winnings, Wilber plans to take a vacation to visit family in Tennessee and to do something he has never done in his fifty-some years - see the ocean."

I'd like to be the first to welcome Rick to Tennessee but I hope he's not too disappointed when he finds out you cain't see the ocean from here.

I'll take him out honky-tonkin' though and get him good and drunk so he don't care nothin' 'bout no ocean.

And if we ain't back in a couple days, we'll be down in Mississippi and up to no good. Yeeee haaaaa!

Gulf, ocean, don't really make no nevermind nohow. 

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Feb 23, 2012

"With his winnings, Wilber plans to take a vacation to visit family in Tennessee and to do something he has never done in his fifty-some years - see the ocean."

I'd like to be the first to welcome Rick to Tennessee but I hope he's not too disappointed when he finds out you cain't see the ocean from here.

I'll take him out honky-tonkin' though and get him good and drunk so he don't care nothin' 'bout no ocean.

And if we ain't back in a couple days, we'll be down in Mississippi and up to no good. Yeeee haaaaa!

Gulf, ocean, don't really make no nevermind nohow. 

SH-T!, I thought you could see the Atlantic Ocean from Memphis?? Isn't that where Elvis caught all his catfish??

 

Now I know why I flunked Geography.  Thud

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

i walked close to the atlantic ocean today,when we took our dogs down to the harbor.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Congrats to the winner................Thumbs Up

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