The grand prize in this week's Mega Millions lottery drawing, $270 million, will go to one couple from South Georgia.
Robert and Tonya Harris from Bulloch County, Georgia became millionaires Friday night when their Mega Millions numbers, 12, 22, 19, 7, 13, and mega number 10, were drawn.
In an interview posted on WSAV.com, the couple said they rarely play the lottery, but this time the couple used their grandchildren's birthdays, something they've never done before. "They're my life. Them grandkids are everything I work for, strive for, to make sure they have a good life, and now they're going to have a good life," Robert Harris said in the report.
Mr. Harris, a structural steel and iron worker, reportedly called his employer, Quinlain Enterprise, Saturday morning to tell them that he plans to retire.
The winning ticket from Friday night's drawing was bought at Flash Foods 70 in Portal, Georgia, said Tandi Reddick, Georgia Lottery spokeswoman. Portal is about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta.
"We're very excited — it's caused a buzz in this small town," said Billy Hodges, general manager of Clyde's Market 70, which he said formerly was called Flash Foods 70.
Harris said he plans to buy a new truck — a GMC extended cab — and spend more time at home with his family.
The couple opted for the cash option, bringing their winnings down to $164 million.
Another 207 players matched four numbers, plus the Mega Ball number — good for third prizes of $10,000 each.
Six California players matched five numbers, and another 38 matched four of the five lotto numbers, plus the Mega Ball number. The prize amounts in California are different than what prize winners in the other Mega Ball participating states would receive.
The next drawing — worth $12 million — will be Tuesday.
The winning numbers from Friday night's drawing were: 7, 12, 13, 19 and 22. The Mega Ball number was 10.
The Texas Megaplier was 4.
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Harris!!!!
I wonder how they allotted which grandchild to the megaball...after all, that made all the difference. Eh well...my time will come...come on powerball!
Congratulations to the lucky couple.
They will now lavish themselves in all that we all only dream of.
(I don't know about the GMC with the extended Cab)
SORRY!!!
litebets
It was birthday numbers....I was right...haha. Congrats to them!
Brad
A couple of years ago for a $280 million dollar jackpot it was a maid who only bought 1 ticket that was the winner.
Your right. I wonder how she's doing? I believe she was a single Mom with 5 children. I hope that she is doing well.
litebets
Congrats to the couple they are indeed lucky!
Wow that's awesome.. I've bought tix in South Georgia and said wow I started sweating I thought that I had won.....but nothing only 10 bucks I am cool now but will eventally win this year Jackpot...... I will
Like a ROCK
til then.....
Wow they talked to the media and waived the actual ticket around before they can even claim it? How did the media even find out?
Dang! I bought $35 worth of tickets and won only $6.
Small town where everyone knows everyone else, news travels fast ... speculation to conclusion even faster. BTW welcome to LP!
Congratulations to them, totally awesome win!!! Wish them the very best in all their endeavors!!!
I love it when I read stories like this of people who win...... regular working class people that get a lil bit of luck that helps change their lives.
I notice the winning couple only spent 2 bucks and I spent 5 bucks for three draws my total was 15.00 and won 10.00 I stillhave one more drawing to go .... should I only do 1 buck a week or more cause the odds are totally against me... how many people spent a 1000 bucks and won nothing this couple spent 2 dollars and won you do the math......
he was an Iron worker they do alright as far as cash is concerned .....but the 270 million would have been better spent by me ;
0 of 20, me :-(
They are lucky . Cong !!!
but i love seeing a group of workers win big jackpot.
Robert and Tonya Harris from Bulloch County, Georgia became millionaires Friday night when their Mega Millions numbers, 12, 22, 19, 7, 13, and mega number 10, were drawn.
Okay - now where are all those posts I've read about not playing all low numbers because you'll wind up splitting the jackpot with lots of other people?
My birthday is 19, my sister's birthday is 10, my Dad's is 7 ..... wait a minute. They stole my numbers!
Not only is it incredible that they hit MM with all low numbers considering the matrix, but as somone else pointed out, what made her pick the right birthday for the lower grid?
They played a $2 ticket so there was no wheel involved, yet of six birthdays she chooses the right one for the Mega Millions number.
LUCK.
Yea, I was kinda shocked how open they were with the ticket & talking to the media so soon.
Wow, so true. I never really thought about that. Yes, they used 6 birthdays and any one of them could have been the Mega Ball.
Congratulations!
But they forgot the stay invisible. Full names and a clear national video of what they look like. " If you win it , they will come!
Congrats to them IF they really won. They should have sought financial advice and turned in their ticket first before discussing it publicly. IF they really won.
They showed the Ticket via the interview it look like the real deal to me http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/02/23/ga.mega.millions.lotto.winner.wsav and you'll see the ticket wow he dont know what he's in for he's a brave man..... My hat is off to him and his family God bless them.
Cool video...
Good simple folks won.
I wish he did some homework before going public. Why put grandchildren in the video?
I'll bet he is not sleeping tonight guarding the ticket.
I'm sure it's real. Hopefully, they won't have problems with beggers and scammers. They seem like a nice couple.
The woman from Lowell, MA if that's who you mean, must be doing OK because there are no horror stories about her that I know of; I notice that grandparents have better odds of winning on low number sets on self-picks because they have enough grandkids with ages in that number range to use those numbers in a 5+1. It didn't say whether a birthday was thought of for the 10, just it was randomly chosen for "October" (wedding anniv.? maybe?) also notice they didn't need 115 tickets, only 2 (like when I got the "5" that time) and no stinking Quick Pick either. I am just wary of the story saying she "will help anybody" - although that's a nice thing to say it's also extremely dangerous to say. Someone please lead her to this board? Quickly?
I am predicting, this Tuesday, maybe Friday, another Mega winner for < 20M, most likely from the Midwest.
Anyway, my Pocket PC program correctly picked the "10" on the Mega and the "32" on the Powerball but missed the other numbers.
I had 12 and 19... and mega 10
Congrats to Mr & Mrs Harris! Now you can do the things you only dreamed of!
Gooooood luck!!!
Hide now.
Take care!!!!!!!!!!!!