Winners haven't decided if they will go public
An Abingdon, Maryland, couple has stepped forward to claim the first Powerball jackpot sold in Maryland, a state lottery spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
The lucky winners of the $108.8 million jackpot have not been publicly identified, however.
The Sept. 7 drawing showed that the winning ticket, with numbers of 3, 5, 18, 27, 54 and Powerball number 13, was sold at the Abingdon Wine World, at 406-A Constant Friendship Blvd, making it the first winning Powerball jackpot ticket sold in Maryland.
(See Maryland has its first Powerball lottery jackpot winner, Lottery Post, Sept. 8, 2011.)
At the time, according to Lottery Communications Director Carole Everett, the organization did not know who had purchased the winning ticket of the $108.8 million jackpot.
Since then, an Abingdon couple has presented the winning ticket, but has not decided if they will release their names to the public, Everett said.
"We are hoping to get an answer soon and are, of course, hoping they agree to publicity," Everett wrote in an e-mail.
With this win, the couple will have two options, the $108.8 million annuity option that will start paying out approximately $1.2 million per year, and increase the payout each year for 29 years, until the 30th payment of approximately $4 million. Or, they can take the lump-sum cash option of approximately $43 million. Both payout options are after federal and state taxes are withheld.
(Detailed after-tax payout information for both the annuity payout schedule and cash option is presented courtesy of USA Mega.)
Wine World, which sold the winning ticket, will receive a $25,000 commission.
The chances of winning the multi-state Powerball jackpot, Everett said last week, are 195 million to 1.
Although this is Maryland's first big Powerball win, Everett did write there had been several notable multi-state Mega Millions jackpot wins in Maryland, including $183 million in Baltimore County in 2003 and $109 million in Montgomery County in 2004.
well I hope for thar respective sakes they deside to keep thar bloomin mouths shut
Guess they didn't read the article below on why you shouldn't go public:
"Ticket was purchased on 406 Constant Friendship Blvd!"
"They wont have problems with CONSTANT friends if they go public!" lol
I hope, for their sake, they decide to remain anonymous. "We are hoping to get an answer soon and are, of course, hoping they agree to publicity," Lottery Communications Director Carole Everett. I am sure the lottery would like them to go public, but the lottery is not concerned about the consequences for the couple. They should get a very good trustworthy lawyer the mediate between them and the lottery. But they would be very unwise to go public, there would be no benefits, only potential problems.
I for one do not alter my ticket purchasing based on the stories of any previous winners. The lottery wants people to go public as it is free advertising for them, and FREE anything is good and sought after by most people. But that "free" advertising comes at a huge cost to the subjects of that publicity. So I would just politely tell that lottery representative, "Sorry but no to any publicity." I hope that couple has read this site. If not....oh well.
Congrats to the lucky winners.
how would we know if someone really won?
It would be nice to be have the choice to be anonymous in Pennsylvania !
The couple might already be rich!
It will be hard for most people to believe that somebody actually won if nobody releases thier identity, but we also have to take into consideration the consequenses that comes with going public.
Congrats to the winners.
Just for all you skeptics out there, I will publicly state that I will TOFTT and go public when I win. Just so you will believe that a real person won the jackpot, I will show up and have a press conference. Just don't blame me if you "die laughing!" It will be me, just no one will really know what I truly look like before or after the press conference. :D
Won't be the first time, OldSchoolPa!!! Personally, I'm all for it!! LOL
great photo.
I'm sorry to say it, but , times have changed.
People out there are pure evil.
And once they find out, they will attack you, even people or family who you thought were your friends.
Anonymous is the safest way to go, too manny horror stories
out there of bad things happening to lotto winners.
Congrats to the winners.......