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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Three friends honor long-time pact to split lottery winnings Powerball: Three friends honor long-time pact to split lottery winnings53 Rating:All for one, and $1 million for all. Three long-time chums who made a pact to split the pot if one of them ever won the lottery got their payday last week, Georgia Lottery officials announced on Thursday. And to top it all, the threesome's windfall was foretold by an after-dinner treat. James Scoles, 56, was cracking a fortune cookie in his town of North Pole, Alaska, on March 15, the same day his buddy Kenneth Wilson bought a lottery ticket at a grocery in Twiggs County, Ga. His fortune? "It said, 'You're going to win the lottery,'" Scoles told lottery officials, according to a press release put out Thursday. Whether that prophecy influenced what happened the next day in the Peach State could not be independently confirmed by NBC News. But on March 16, Wilson could barely believe his eyes when his numbers came up: 3-7-21-44-53. He didn't hit the Powerball number, but still managed to lock down a cool million. Wilson will be splitting it three ways with Scoles and his cousin, Sanford Watson, who also lives in Macon. "I was just as tickled for them as I was for myself," Wilson said. "We just had a verbal agreement and I felt like that had to be honored." Wilson had to wait about a week before collecting his loot, however, as he waited for Scoles to fly in from Alaska. "It was a lot of sleepless nights," said his wife Dorothy Wilson. "I never would have thought winning money would have been that stressful." Scoles said at a press conference on Thursday that he plans to spend some of his share on a "Georgia honey baked ham, and a smoked turkey, and some good barbecue sauce." Wilson, who is retired, says his only plans right now are to pay off some bills.  (Click to display full-size in gallery)
NBC 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. 31 comments. Last comment 3 months ago by . Housekeeper MICHIGAN United States Member #82269 October 28, 2009 13308 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 10:31 am - IP Logged | |
Cool story, that is a true friendship, congrats to the lucky winners, may they enjoy! | | |
Ridge Runner - Oracle of the Appalachians Way back up in them dadgum hills, son! United States Member #74415 April 28, 2009 12623 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 10:35 am - IP Logged | |
A man of honor who keeps his word. They're not making too many of those anymore. God Bless him. | | |
5+1 Winner Arizona United States Member #116287 September 7, 2011 16198 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 10:38 am - IP Logged | |
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Ridge Runner - Oracle of the Appalachians Way back up in them dadgum hills, son! United States Member #74415 April 28, 2009 12623 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 10:46 am - IP Logged | |
It is with me. But increasingly nowadays it's like they say about life in Washington DC: If you want a loyal friend, get a dog. | | |
United States Member #117719 October 12, 2011 109 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 10:49 am - IP Logged | |
A man of honor who keeps his word. They're not making too many of those anymore. God Bless him. You are right! And I will add, that Wilson is also a man of conscience too. | | |
Housekeeper MICHIGAN United States Member #82269 October 28, 2009 13308 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 10:50 am - IP Logged | |
It is with me. But increasingly nowadays it's like they say about life in Washington DC: If you want a loyal friend, get a dog. Yep, | | |
United States Member #32929 February 12, 2006 630 Posts Online | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 11:24 am - IP Logged | |
got to respect a man who keeps hes word/helps hes friends  lucky with max tax rate not kicking in to atfer 400k mark they can just pay a much lower rate on majority of it. thx to the split 3way | | |
Oklahoma United States Member #82920 November 12, 2009 3628 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 11:39 am - IP Logged | |
Awesome story here's to true friendship Win BIG everyone..... I Love Pink & Green....1908 | | |
Oklahoma United States Member #82920 November 12, 2009 3628 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 11:41 am - IP Logged | |
A man of honor who keeps his word. They're not making too many of those anymore. God Bless him. Amen  Win BIG everyone..... I Love Pink & Green....1908 | | |
adelaide sa Australia Member #37542 April 11, 2006 2502 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 1:38 pm - IP Logged | |
i have pals who want to have a similar deal, the only prob is they NEVER buy lottto tickets. and i mean NEVER. I finally broke down opnce and swore , stating if i win they'lll get a post card. even when the jackpot is all time highs here, like $85 mill cash. they cant be bothered buying 1 tickets. June "Money doesnt buy happiness, but misery has never been so luxurious" 2013 YTD loss[1032] wins = 585 2012 total spend =[2486.10], wins = 2176.70 ; year total = -$309.40 | | |
United States Member #122248 January 27, 2012 161 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 3:31 pm - IP Logged | |
"We just had a verbal agreement and I felt like that had to be honored." I wish our politicians in Washington had this much integrity and honor, lol! Congrats to the three friends. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. ~Ronald Reagan "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." ~Wolfgang von Goethe "It's preferable to be harmlessly paranoid than fatally stupid." ~Anonymous | | |
Indiana United States Member #122879 February 9, 2012 310 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 3:38 pm - IP Logged | |
"We just had a verbal agreement and I felt like that had to be honored." I wish our politicians in Washington had this much integrity and honor, lol! Congrats to the three friends. 
I wish I may, I wish I might...
Win the Powerball jackpot Saturday night!!! | | |
5+1 Winner Arizona United States Member #116287 September 7, 2011 16198 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 3:40 pm - IP Logged | |
i have pals who want to have a similar deal, the only prob is they NEVER buy lottto tickets. and i mean NEVER. I finally broke down opnce and swore , stating if i win they'lll get a post card. even when the jackpot is all time highs here, like $85 mill cash. they cant be bothered buying 1 tickets. Funny, it was my first thought that the agreement is only good if everyone keeps buying tickets each draw. Otherwise its just a con game on the part of those who don't buy any tickets. | | |
5+1 Winner Arizona United States Member #116287 September 7, 2011 16198 Posts Offline | | Posted: March 23, 2013, 3:42 pm - IP Logged | |
I like my "LP pool" idea where everyone buys the same numbers. You buy a ticket, your IN the pool. lol. | | |
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