RICHMOND, Va. — The start of 2009 was not a good one for Joe Denette.
The Thornburg man was laid off in January from his job at Brookfield Homes, where he had worked as a service technician for the last seven years. A message he posted on his Facebook page said it all: "You don't work, you don't eat."
But that didn't stop him from participating in two of his cherished hobbies--watching NASCAR races and playing the lottery.
His luck began to change when he won four tickets to the May 2 NASCAR race in Richmond in a radio contest.
And his whole life changed the day of the race, when he found out he was holding a lottery ticket worth $75.6 million.
Denette, 47, matched all six numbers in the May 1 Mega Millions drawing, winning the third-largest prize in Virginia Lottery history. He opted for a cash buyout worth $47.8 million instead of taking the full jackpot over 26 years.
In that Mega Millions drawing, three winning lottery tickets from California, Ohio, and Virginia equally shared the $227 million jackpot.
"It's unreal," he said at a news conference in Richmond yesterday. "It couldn't have come at a better time."
When Denette realized he had won the money, he had to make a decision about what to do with his race tickets and his winning lottery ticket.
So what did he do?
He signed the lottery ticket and handed it over to his mother for safekeeping.
"She asked me where I was going, and I said the race," he recounted yesterday.
After securing an attorney and financial guidance, Denette picked up his big check from the Virginia Lottery yesterday.
Lottery officials also helped fulfill another one of his dreams. He rode a few laps around the track at Richmond International Raceway with Hermie Sadler, a NASCAR driver and commentator and brother of driver Elliot Sadler.
"This is the best thing that has happened to me," Denette said.
He bought the winning ticket at Joyful Convenience Market on Mudd Tavern Road in Thornburg. The store receives a $50,000 retailer bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The winning numbers were 9, 16, 24, 40, 43 and the Mega Ball number was 35. Denette said they were randomly chosen by the computer.
"I used to hate computers," Denette told lottery officials. "Not anymore."
Store manager Bruce Park sold the winning ticket to Denette, who Park said is a regular customer.
"I feel like a lucky guy to sell him the winning ticket," Park said. "But I wish I had played those numbers."
Denette, who said he spends about $23 a week buying tickets, has been playing the lottery for at least 20 years. He plans to continue that practice. He had a ticket in his pocket yesterday that he had bought that morning.
He hasn't decided how to spend the money yet. But the options are limitless since he is single and has no children.
Denette's life to this point has been that of, well, an average Joe. He likes working in the yard, building things and enjoying life, he said.
He said he'll probably use his newfound wealth to go to more races. He also said he has turned off his cell phone, and he knows who his real friends are.
But Denette, who has been unemployed for four months, said being a multimillionaire still hasn't sunk in.
"One day you don't have a job, the next day you don't have to worry about a job," he said. "You never know."
Thanks to hearsetrax for the tip.
wow...I wonder how many people want to be his friend on facebook. I find it ironic...
"you dont work...you dont eat" but you spend $23 a week on tickets...i hope thats when he was working...anyways congrats to him...
"He hasn't decided how to spend the money yet"
He is a nascar fan. I see more and more race teams with no sponsors this year. Maybe drop 50 thou here and there to help some of the teams.
Gotta be careful sponsoring though. Nascar racing can be veerrrrry expensive.
Wow, 47.8 million dollars! That can buy a whole bunch of lottery tickets! durrrrrrrrr-
"Denette, who said he spends about $23 a week buying tickets, has been playing the lottery for at least 20 years. He plans to continue that practice. He had a ticket in his pocket yesterday that he had bought that morning."
Why is he a putz?
Wow! $75 Million is a life changer! WTG!
Congratulations big time to him!!!! Good luck to him, hope he wins another huge jackpot!!!!!
47? That's a good age. Old enough to know what to do and young enough to enjoy it. I wish him lots of fun! He seems like a fairly intelligent guy there, his win will be fun to watch how he spends it. I like it when people win and I think they are going to be alright with it.
That said, I have to wonder if something isn't wrong with someone who seems perfect on the surface and isn't marrried or has no children yet. At that age, he should have at least two or three running around somewhere. He seems normal enough. (likes to work out in the yard, enjoys building things.... two very good qualities.)
Here in the south, we are all pretty much taught that aren't we? ("you don't work, you don't eat") Never stopped me from playing either.
This strange phenomenon always makes me wonder why double-digit, multi-million NETTING jackpot winners buy more tickets. Is it addicted habit or greed? As far as I know, NOBODY has won a double-digit, multi-million netting jackpot MORE than once in their lifetime!
Perhaps these folks merely buy the additional ticket to hold up for publicity purposes; because they think that it would be some sort of insult during the lottery headquarters forced publicity interview to publicly say that it is both greedy and statistically improbable to attempt to win any more jackpots, and besides that this person thinks that these high jackpots should go to additional people.
He sure does talk the talk, but can he walk the walk (Handle the money wisely). I thnk the trick is getting as many advisors as you can to avoid the foolishness in new found windfall mindset.
Maybe I am reading you wrong, but why must something be wrong with someone just because they aren't married or because they don't have children? Not everyone wants that. I am not married at the moment and have no plans for children and lots of people feel the same way. That doesn't mean there is something wrong with us.
There's certainly an awfully good argument that somebody who's spending $23 a week on lottery tickets and is out of work isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, or has trouble with impulse (or irrational) spending. Of course the article isn't clear enough to be sure that he was still spending that much after he lost his job. That he talked with a lawyer and got financial advise before rushing out to claim the prize suggests that he'll be okay.
Just because the man was out of a job doesn't mean he was totally broke.With him not being married and no kids maybe he was smart enough to save his money?I have a brother who is 45 who isn't married and no kids and a great job and is real tight on his money and has his own home and some adut toys and takes nice vacations.I know $23 a week for him wouldn't hurt him if he was playing the lottery even if he lost his job.So maybe this guy was like him?Now he can go to more Nascar races with his winnings.I want to be his friend.LOL
I want $75 Million too! :(