California man collects $120M Mega Millions lottery jackpot

Sep 17, 2012, 10:30 am (41 comments)

Mega Millions

There's no telling what Ronald Willis had in the back of his mind to buy.

He wouldn't say. But whatever it is, he can probably afford it.

The 55-year-old Rialto man became the state's newest millionaire, parlaying a Mega Millions ticket purchased at a Riverside convenience store into a $120 million lottery win on a draw Tuesday, Sept. 11. He came forward to claim the prize at the California Lottery headquarters in San Bernardino on Friday, Sept. 14, where he faced a line of television cameras.

"I don't know any of that," Willis said, asked about his plans. "All I know is we're enjoying the moment."

For those keeping score with a spreadsheet, Willis gets $92.1 million if he takes the money in a lump sum. That translates into an after-tax take home of just under $70 million, according to lottery officials. If he takes payments, it will be $4.6 million a year for 26 years. Willis said he's still deciding what option to take.

A Louisiana native who grew up in LA, Willis told reporters that he regularly plays the lottery, routinely buying tickets from a store in Rialto using two lines of pre-determined numbers and a quick pick. He had never won more than a few bucks. It was the first time he bought a ticket from the 7-Eleven at 3740 Iowa Avenue in Riverside, purchasing it on a whim.

When lottery officials announced that the winning ticket had been sold in Riverside, he initially thought nothing of it because he forgot that he had purchased the ticket there. Once his fiancée, Yolanda Mangum, reminded him that he bought the ticket in Riverside he got it and checked it.

"I was kind of calm and collected about it," Willis said, flanked by Mangum, his brother, Bruce Willis, and six other family members. "I just sat down on the couch and I started thinking about it. I said, 'This is it.' "

Willis said he remained calm. His family, including four children, did enough jumping-for-joy for him.

The store that sold the ticket may do some jumping as well. It will get $600,000 from the state lottery.

The winning numbers were: 5, 11, 20, 33, 36 and Mega number 11.

It was the highest jackpot awarded in Inland Southern California in recent years.

In 2011, an 84-year-old Hemet man won a $7 million jackpot from a ticket purchased at a liquor store off Sanderson Avenue.

Several Inland residents had won a small share, resulting in several hundred thousand dollars, during the record $540 million nationwide jackpot in March.

The largest winning jackpot in California was $315 million in 2005.

Asked if he'd keep playing the lottery, Willis laughed.

"Yes," he said. "To win more."

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Press-Enterprise

Comments

mcginnin56

Hurray for this young man!

jamella724

Your patience, determination and faith put you to where you are right now, Mr. Willis.  Congratulations! You are the next millionaire.  When you said that you were so calm, I just couldn't imagine, that a lotto millionaire was so calm knowing that he won big bucks of millions.  May you always, enjoy your moment...my congratulations.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Sep 17, 2012

Hurray for this young man!

Yes, and nice to have "Bruce Willis" along anytime. 

Also nice that he "checked his ticket" lol. lol.

kyokushin187's avatarkyokushin187

Hopefully. I'm next.i'll take either multi or state lottery.this shows that you should keep playing ur picks.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Maybe there's some hope for me yet.  I matched 5of6 in Ohio Super Lotto ten years ago but that was so long ago it doesn't count any more.

I was checking the MegaMillions sales figures for each state and Californians spend more money on MM tickets than any other state, no wonder there are so many stories about them winning the MM jackpots.  Just proves if you keep buying tickets, one of them could be a winner some day.

I wonder if the winner was one of his personal picks or a quick pick.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by kyokushin187 on Sep 17, 2012

Hopefully. I'm next.i'll take either multi or state lottery.this shows that you should keep playing ur picks.

Except it sounds like he bought a random ticket at a random store.........

and only checked it because of an announcement.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Sep 17, 2012

Maybe there's some hope for me yet.  I matched 5of6 in Ohio Super Lotto ten years ago but that was so long ago it doesn't count any more.

I was checking the MegaMillions sales figures for each state and Californians spend more money on MM tickets than any other state, no wonder there are so many stories about them winning the MM jackpots.  Just proves if you keep buying tickets, one of them could be a winner some day.

I wonder if the winner was one of his personal picks or a quick pick.

Interesting that it doesnt say how he pick the numbers at the random store he was in.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Sep 17, 2012

Except it sounds like he bought a random ticket at a random store.........

and only checked it because of an announcement.

Sounds like he only checked his tickets because he was reminded that he bought tickets at that location but I'm betting he always checked his tickets regardless of where he bought them. 

If I ever won big I would be tempted to come up with an equally casual story instead of revealing the amount of time I spent picking my numbers, checking them after the drawings and revising the strategy I'll used to pick my next ones.

LottoGuyBC's avatarLottoGuyBC

            $120M...Very Nice

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

Congratulations,Mr.Willis.Take the cash option.

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

he looks like a really young 55-year-old

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Party CONGRATS SIR!

next party in Pennsylvania ...............

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Sep 17, 2012

he looks like a really young 55-year-old

If he were any younger, he'd be 54!

Jill34786's avatarJill34786

Quote: Originally posted by Cletu$2 on Sep 17, 2012

Congratulations,Mr.Willis.Take the cash option.

I Agree!  With the cash option being 76.75% of the annuity amount, this is a no brainer. With his net payout of roughly $60 million (if he doesn't mitigate the additional 10% Federal tax obligation) he shouldn't have an issue netting 2% annually (1.2 million) and being well ahead of the annuity prize.

There are many munibonds that offer 4-5% returns that woud increase his nest egg substantially without ever touching the principal.

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