Couple wins $3M jackpot 27 years after wife's numbers last came up

Mar 7, 2014, 8:56 am (41 comments)

Maine Lottery

He's finally forgiven, because last time he forgot to buy tickets

MADAWASKA, Maine — In February 1986, Robert and Jeanne Gagnon had the winning Megabucks lottery numbers for the weekly drawing.

Not that it mattered.

"I had all the numbers," Jeanne Gagnon said Wednesday. "But my husband forgot to pick up a ticket that day."

"And I've been hearing about it ever since," her husband, Robert Gagnon, said, shaking his head.

Now it appears all is forgiven. Two weeks ago, the retired couple learned they held the winning numbers in the Feb. 19 Megabucks drawing worth $3 million.

On Wednesday, the local couple returned to Bob's Neighborhood Store, where they bought the winning lottery ticket, to talk about their newfound wealth and subsequent fame.

Jeanne Gagnon said she has been playing Megabucks since the state started offering it in 1985. In fact, she has her first ticket and the numbers drawn that week taped inside her special lottery wallet. She switches the numbers she plays each week based on a system she's developed.

"Every Wednesday night my son goes on his cellphone to find out the winning numbers," Jeanne Gagnon said. "Two weeks ago he gave me a piece of paper with the numbers and I said, 'Are you kidding? I think we have it.'"

The winning numbers were 2, 4, 11, 17, 18, 28.

Robert Gagnon had already retired for the evening and Jeanne said she really did not want to disturb him.

"My son told me to wake him up," Jeanne Gagnon said with a laugh.

The two were at Bob's Neighborhood Store bright and early the next morning to confirm their winning ticket.

"When I saw you pull in at 7:30, I knew you were the winners," store owner Pete Williams said to the Gagnons Wednesday.

For selling the winning ticket, the store receives $30,000.

After learning of their good fortune, the Gagnons said they had to wait a few days before going to Augusta to claim their prize.

"We wanted to go down that Thursday, but there were no hotel rooms because of the high school basketball tournament," Jeanne Gagnon said.

"I told her we could go and sleep in the truck," her husband said. "But she did not want that."

On Friday, the state was hit with a snow and ice storm, so it was not until Monday the couple finally made their way to the lottery office in Augusta.

"They took us from room to room," Jeanne Gagnon said. "Then we got to the person who asked us how we wanted to receive the money."

Lottery winners have the option of taking their winnings in a lump sum representing 50 percent of the overall prize or getting the total amount in annual installments over 30 years.

Before answering the official, Jeanne Gagnon said she whipped out her handheld computer and did some quick tax calculations.

"I don't think [the lottery official] was expecting that," she said.

In the end, the Gagnons determined they would be better off with annual $70,000 payments, for which they are establishing a family estate.

"If we had taken the lump sum we would have lost $700,000 right off to taxes," Jeanne Gagnon said. "I wasn't having that."

Robert Gagnon is a retired millworker and the two have one son who is disabled and lives at home with them.

The money, they said, will help ensure he is always taken care of.

As for other plans, the Gagnons are considering a new garage and maybe a tractor-operated snowblower to replace the smaller, hand-operated machine Robert Gagnon now uses to clear the driveway.

Beyond that, Jeanne Gagnon said, nothing much will change.

"I am still using my newspaper coupons," she said. "That will never stop."

Nor will her near constant knitting projects.

"I can't stop knitting," Jeanne Gagnon said. "I have too much yarn at the house, a lot of yarn."

Her husband just smiled and nodded.

"A lot, a lot of yarn," he said.

As the impact of winning the Megabucks begins to sink in, the Gagnons said they are consulting with a trusted financial planner and accountant on how best to deal with the influx of cash.

Not that they are lacking for suggestions for where to spend it.

"Have you met my mom? I'm her adopted son," one customer in the store joked.

"I am, too," Pete Williams shot back. "How are you doing, brother?"

Over the years, Jeanne Gagnon has come up with her own system for selecting numbers and said for the first several years of the lottery she tracked and analyzed every winning combination.

"I have my own little system," she said. "It's not collegiate, but it's a system."

They also purchase scratch tickets.

"She buys those to keep her husband busy," store co-owner Susan Williams said with a laugh. "Today she is getting the 'bingo' cards and that is going to take him time to play."

The Gagnons have been married 47 years and hold an upbeat outlook on life.

"You have to be positive," Jeanne Gagnon, a childhood polio survivor, said. "What else is there?"

Coming in to purchase his own tickets Wednesday, Ronald Cyr, who worked with Robert Gagnon at the Madawaska mill, was thrilled to learn of his friend's good luck.

"This couldn't have happened to a better person," Cyr said. "When you work all your life, you deserve a good break."

The Gagnons plan to continue playing Megabucks.

"I bought a ticket this morning," Jeanne Gagnon said. "I will keep buying them [at Bob's Neighborhood store], there is no need to go anywhere else."

It's a safe bet her husband is never going to forget picking one up ever again.

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Thanks to truesee for the tip.

Bangor Daily News

Comments

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

WTG. Congrats!!!

Teddi's avatarTeddi

This is a really cute story, but really weird that they opted for the annuity at their age.

RedStang's avatarRedStang

Great win and i bet she still plays.

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

Big Congrats to the Gagnons. But not quite sure why they would opt for the annuity. With $3 million cash option after taxes, they'd net around $1.1 million or so. That could sit and generate  $50,000 + annually in interest. So both parents and son would benefit greatly as the principal could remain untouched, especially since they are retired. Hmmmm, happy for them but i think the annuity makes sense only if your winnings are $100 Million or above. Maybe i'm wrong but i think the math suggests that to be the case.

Good for them though!!!

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

Quote: Originally posted by DDOH937 on Mar 7, 2014

Big Congrats to the Gagnons. But not quite sure why they would opt for the annuity. With $3 million cash option after taxes, they'd net around $1.1 million or so. That could sit and generate  $50,000 + annually in interest. So both parents and son would benefit greatly as the principal could remain untouched, especially since they are retired. Hmmmm, happy for them but i think the annuity makes sense only if your winnings are $100 Million or above. Maybe i'm wrong but i think the math suggests that to be the case.

Good for them though!!!

I Agree!   Thumbs Up   YES>>>>>>BIG CONGRAT'$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to the Ganon'$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

We must admit LUCK>>>>played her hand on these people. Bad LUCK the ole man forgot to play her number

back in 1986. Good LUCK>played her hand in March 3, 2014. REALLY, Psyko thinks she took the annunity this

time because, she trust it the best way they can keep money together for their disabled son. It appears that

she is the DECISION maker therefore, they will live off $70,000 a year and no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when LUCK is on UR side, "what does it matter anyway"!!

                         Party Dance Party

MzDuffleBaglady's avatarMzDuffleBaglady

Happy Spending!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

When its your time, its your time. Quick Picks, Birthdays, Randoms, Dreams, Cookies, One Ticket, 10 Tickets, 1000 Tickets. Doesnt matter one bit it seems. When its your time, you'll be in the right place at the right time facing the right store clerk at the appropriate second. You may let someone ahead of you, someone let you ahead, you may run out of gas and need to stop, feeling hungry and grabbing a bite, or simply a gut feeling when you decide to grab a ticket. Its seems that's all there really is to it. Manifest Destiny for winners maybe.

One day. That's all i can hope. One day.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Like that JG Wentworth commercial "it's my money and I need it now!" That's my philosophy when it comes to the lottery payouts.
Great story still.

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Mar 7, 2014

Like that JG Wentworth commercial "it's my money and I need it now!" That's my philosophy when it comes to the lottery payouts.
Great story still.

Completely agree. No way i'm waiting for 30 years of payment. So much can change in 10/20/30 years. Most of these lotteries are not even close to being 30 years old. Who knows what the next 30 years will be like. I'm with you on this one maringoman, its my money and i need it now!!! LOL!!!

I'll think, only think, just for and in the name of due diligence of annuitized options ONLY when winnings exceed $100 Million. Give it a better look over $400 Million. And devote some real thought to it when over $600 Million. Doesnt make sense to me otherwise.

Real Happy for them though. They seem like nice, quiet, simply folks with their priorties in order. BUT..."its my money and i need it NOW!!! hahahhaha!!!!

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by DDOH937 on Mar 7, 2014

Completely agree. No way i'm waiting for 30 years of payment. So much can change in 10/20/30 years. Most of these lotteries are not even close to being 30 years old. Who knows what the next 30 years will be like. I'm with you on this one maringoman, its my money and i need it now!!! LOL!!!

I'll think, only think, just for and in the name of due diligence of annuitized options ONLY when winnings exceed $100 Million. Give it a better look over $400 Million. And devote some real thought to it when over $600 Million. Doesnt make sense to me otherwise.

Real Happy for them though. They seem like nice, quiet, simply folks with their priorties in order. BUT..."its my money and i need it NOW!!! hahahhaha!!!!

The federal government is over $16T in debt. This will not end well. The politicians can easily propose a special tax on lottery prizes to help fund research on moon-bats lol and guess what? It would sail through the house without much opposition. Gambling is considered a dirty business anyways.
No no not with my money...I'd take that money in a heartbeat.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by DDOH937 on Mar 7, 2014

Big Congrats to the Gagnons. But not quite sure why they would opt for the annuity. With $3 million cash option after taxes, they'd net around $1.1 million or so. That could sit and generate  $50,000 + annually in interest. So both parents and son would benefit greatly as the principal could remain untouched, especially since they are retired. Hmmmm, happy for them but i think the annuity makes sense only if your winnings are $100 Million or above. Maybe i'm wrong but i think the math suggests that to be the case.

Good for them though!!!

The cash option was actually $1.5 million and she was concerned about having to pay almost $700k in Federal and state taxes.

Interest on $900k would be lucky to hit $9k a year considering most banks pay less than 1%.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Mar 7, 2014

The federal government is over $16T in debt. This will not end well. The politicians can easily propose a special tax on lottery prizes to help fund research on moon-bats lol and guess what? It would sail through the house without much opposition. Gambling is considered a dirty business anyways.
No no not with my money...I'd take that money in a heartbeat.

I Agree! I wouldn't put it pass Congress to implement a "special tax" on lottery prizes. We are already well over $17 trillion in debt and likely to surpass $18 trillion later this year.

I would have taken the lump sum as I have no faith in what happens in 30 years.

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Mar 7, 2014

The cash option was actually $1.5 million and she was concerned about having to pay almost $700k in Federal and state taxes.

Interest on $900k would be lucky to hit $9k a year considering most banks pay less than 1%.

She would only have 25%+ state tax witholding for this year. That would leave them with $1Million +.  The remainder in taxes are due next April. With over $1 million in the bank, even the most conservative portfolio would yield over 5%. Especially with their age, disabled son ect,  they'd be tax benefits to capitalize on. Good for them either way, but there is no way on earth i'm leaving that much money on the table in the hands of a government/state run agency for 30 years.

sully16's avatarsully16

Congrats to the very patient couple.

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