Includes video report
ATLANTA, Ga. — It's the most wonderful time of the year for Ira Curry. The Stone Mountain woman purchased one of two winning jackpot tickets in Tuesday's $648 million Mega Millions drawing.
She claimed her prize Wednesday morning at Georgia Lottery headquarters.
"It's unreal," said Curry, 56. "It's like I'm still dreaming."
Curry purchased her lucky ticket at Gateway Newstand, 3500 Lenox Road, Atlanta. A second jackpot ticket was sold in California.
Curry selected the cash option, which amounts to $173,819,742.50 before taxes for each jackpot winner. Georgia state income tax of 6 percent and federal income tax of 25 percent are withheld from prizes of more than $5,000 at the time the prize is claimed.
After final game sales were calculated, the jackpot increased from an advertised $636 million to $648 million. The jackpot was the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.
Curry was driving Wednesday morning when she heard the retailer location and one of the winning numbers on the radio. She asked her daughter to check her ticket and was stunned.
"I was calm because it was unbelievable," she said.
According to Curry, she hasn't had a chance to think about future plans.
Winning numbers from the drawing were 8, 14, 17, 20, and 39, with Mega Ball number 7.
Curry said the numbers are a combination of family birthdays. She added that seven is the family's lucky number.
She purchased only one Mega Millions ticket for the drawing.
The owners of the Gateway Newstand store that sold the winning ticket will receive no bonus for selling the winning ticket because of Georgia state lottery rules.
Stone Mountain is just outside Atlanta. The suburb is frequently referred to as the hometown of fictional TV character Kenneth Parcell, played by Jack McBrayer, on NBC's "30 Rock."
Georgia Lottery Corporation president and CEO Debbie Alford said at a press conference that Curry will take the cash option and, after taxes, will rake in $123 million.
VIDEO: Watch a press conference clip
Congrats to the very lucky winner. Spent $1.00 and became a multi-millionaire.
"She purchased only one Mega Millions ticket for the drawing"
its always a person who purchased ONE DANG ON TICKET
Congratulations Ira Curry & Family Spend Wisely
Wow, another big next day Jackpot claim. Just like Paul White a few months ago.
Hopefully she has things in order as well. Best of luck to her!
And yeah, the single ticket must be the secret. Like many things, if you try to force it,(like buying lots of tickets) it won't happen. Just buy 1, and let the jackpot come to you. I think I'll try that winning strategy next time.
I always buy 1 ticket, well almost always, after this it will be always one !
Or maybe I'll wait til the JP gets big, but it'll still be one ticket.
I spent $27 and won $1
Did she honestly think she had to come forward asap or she wouldn't get the prize. Some people don't think clearly.
"Curry was driving Tuesday morning when she heard the retailer location and one of the winning numbers on the radio."
It's a lot easier to win when you hear some of the winning numbers the morning before the drawing.
That sure was fast. I imagine I'd be in a hurry to claim it, too, but I think it would take me at least a week to get things in order.
Congrats to Ira!
Too bad the Georgia retailer will get no bonus for selling that ticket. That stinks. In California, the San Jose retailer is probably getting a $1,000,000 bonus. I think there's a 1% cap the jackpot retailer bonus.
Wow one ticket and she picked her own numbers! Great job. I hope she is lining up her various experts ASAP.
Lol proof that buying A LOT of tickets is not beneficial at all whatsoever.
Our work pool got up to $135, and we won a total of $0. I wish I were joking, but I'm not.
I'm happy for Ira Curry and it's a blessing, but 2 things I disagree with which makes me wonder how this will unfold over the next 7 years, #1 she claimed her money to fast, I know she has no plans, no financial advisor did she even get an attorney, she didn't want to go public but didn't think to disable her Facebook before she claimed prize, so now she is public, #2 I believe that payments would have been a better option, but that's just me, may god bless and protect her!!
Yeah, I would be in a serious rush too with that winning ticket burning a hole in my pocket.
But I give them the benefit of the doubt on the quick claim. Main thing is, if they've got personal legal representation, that's enough to start. The rest like tax and estate and financial planning and all of that can come together in the intervening weeks between the claim and the actual prize payment.
They may have been up all night. But in that time, I'm sure they can arrange for alternate accomodations with a relative or friend. Go to Walmart and buy a new smartphone. Arrange for a hotel/car/transportation for the next day. I've done that many times before. Or what do most people do that want to avoid the press: go to mommy and daddy's house.
The main thing is the personal lawyer, and if they are upper middle class working professionals, they may already have that, or a good start on it at least.
I agree. I would have first got a attorney because now people know her and she maybe a target.
lol, good catch, I fixed the story.
I'm still waiting to hear the winning numbers of the lottery that will be drawn later that evening....l think we all are.
Even though she refused to do a press conference, there is already facebooks photo of her. A 56 year old grandmopther. And they already dug up a lot of personal information on her. I guess she was too late to delete her account.
http://www.heavy.com/news/2013/12/ira-curry-mega-millions-winner-pictures-photos-facebook/
That's why I never post any photos of myself on the internet. People could easily dig through the web for any photos of someone.
Maybe they were strapped for cash. I just don't see her claiming that ticket so close to Jan 1. She will have a whopping tax bill next year . I thought it was funny that she disabled her FB page so late in the game. She is going to have to go "under cover".
Vice president of insurance company, in upper middle class neighborhood. Shes probably already financially secure, figures /:
Looks like a nice Christian lady teaching her grandchild to pray in that one picture.
God Bless her.
I know lots of upper middle class people who are not financially secure. Many are in debt up to their eyeballs. If she did not need to work, she would not be working there.
Amen. Hopefully she will help out a few causes.
I agree and dumb dumb dumb move on her part for coming forward without consulting lawyers and tax advisors... Watch the money go POOF in 10 years or less just like the other winners have.....
Hope she uses that money for bodyguards, a home in a gated community and a name change after going public in less than 24 hours after the win.
She was probably too excitied and caugth up in the moment. It happens to people and they end up making stupid descisons.
Once again, proof that it only takes ONE ticket to win. No system, no formula, just the luck of the draw...
Merry Christmas Ira Curry
Im so happy for all the winners what a great Christmas gift.
Who knows maybe one of us will be the next big winner.
As other people have stated I would have waited to claim the money in order to stay out of the spotlight.
I would remove as much information as possible about myself from the internet.
Front top page of the Daily News is three pictures of her as well as exact city and age.
Wish she would have went to a lawyer first, but congrats to her regardless and good luck to her. Hopefully she finds a way to limit the amount of unwanted contact she is almost likely already receiving.
Congratulations, Ms. Curry...
Sometimes, duckman. However, in Jack Whittacker's jackpot winning case, I think he purchased 200 rows that Christmas Eve draw.
Congratulations, Ira Curry, on your huge, sharred Mega Millions half-jackpot win!
LUCKY score 4D gull's Ira & Gloria
I think this lady is sly as a fox......to be determined i suppose. GOOD LUCK NAD ALL THE BEST TO HER AND HER FAMILY!!!!!!
Watching TV, an Atlanta station, the reporter was broadcasting from in front of Curry's home and it was a large beautiful home in Stone Mountain, Ga. If she lives there I doubt she is strapped for cash. Also some folks around here thinks she may be a lawyer herself or related to one since the office building she works in has a law office with one of the partners last name Curry.
Congratulations Mrs. Ira Curry
Nice catch!
Happy for her that she won picking birthdays. Just curious how she came up with number 39? since she is 56 years old.
The press claims she bought only one ticket but did she have multiple picks on that ONE ticket?
Her Daughters Age plus I'm from the area where she lives and have mutaul freinds so I heard about her winning b4 the media
Wow?! she has a 39 year old daughter who has 4 children with the oldest being 20. Ira may be a Great-grandmother while still in her 50's. Glad that her entire family will have financial security but it will be awfully hard to keep the little one grounded.
Congrats to the winner! Wooo!!!
If i were a multimillionare Walmart would be the last place I would spend my $$$. They have enough already.
Yeah this woman is going to get no sympathy. Picture of her in a limo holding a glass of champagne. already well off. But on the upside she probably will spend it very wisely and live a boring life, in the eyes of the public.
I was surprised she came forward so quick!!!
Congratulations to her.
I'm reading the story. It's crazy she bought ONE ticket!!! Just ONE and look she won!!! LOL
Goes to show you don't have to purchase 20 tickets. I'm sure there are some folks who probably spent hundreds!!
I lived in GA for 12 years and never realized the stores don't receive a bonus. That sucks!!! I wonder why GA has those types of rules and other retailiers in states can do so? Wow!!!!
For all those being critical of her coming forward so quickly, this is her home.....seems it may be possible she already had a lawyer and financial planner!! YOU GO GIRL!!! GET THAT CASH!!!
Yeah, no more Walmart for Ira.
But the reason I mentioned Walmart in this context, is because it's one of the few places you can go and buy a new smartphone at 4:00AM in the morning.
That is scary that we have a picture of her house already. But I love it!!
She seems to be doing ok already, now she can cruise into retirement. It's a great story.
It would be nice if the media didn't prop her up as an "evil rich" who had no business playing the lottery. Her home pictured is valued at 155K and most of the other homes in her neighborhood are in the same range. They have taken a hit since the housing crisis as many of them paid $240-280k before the downturn.
There are people on other sites crucifying her for having such a "nice" house and saying she had no business buying a ticket.
It is a sad world when the vast majority of the population judge you in that fashion.
A photo of her holding a glass of champagne in a limo doesn't exactly make her well off. She could have been out celebrating on a special occasion. Does seeing a picture of high school kids riding in a limo on Prom night give the perception that they are "well off" ?
You may not enjoy shopping at Wal-Mart but I am sure her and many other affluent individuals will continue to do so.
Great follow-up Jillian. I didn't realize people are saying such terrible things about her.
Besides the lottery doesn't discriminate when it comes to who wins and who doesn't. You could be rich, poor or middle class. She seems to be middle class. The Atlanta suburbs are full of neighboorhoods like hers with nice properties at a low cost basis.
Plus we all have our dreams of what we'd do with the money if we won. I just read on this site that a rich guy from Canada won $40M in Canada and is donating everything to charity. Everyone has a different desire of what they'd do with the money if they won.
For me, it's to share with family and get out of this cold weather in NJ!!
Holla.
Property is extremely cheap in Stone Mountain. Why is this you ask? It is the founding place of the second KKK. I was incredibly surprised to find this woman was black. My husband and I thought about moving and looked into property in and around Atlanta a few years back. We saw all of these amazing 2 story homes for less or just at the $107K price tag our tiny 1200 sq ft home comes with that we have currently in south Alabama. I researched Stone Mountain and wowza ...I would never dream of moving my family there (including my mixed race son). But i'm sure things have changed. And i'm not trying to get anything started, im just explaining why she would appear to have such a luxurious home yet be middle income.
Thanks! I didn't realize the history of Stone Mountain. Things have definitely evolved since the 1950's and 60's so it's probably safe to say that it is much more pleasant these days.
After viewing her neighborhood online, it seems there are plenty of nice, affordable homes in the $110-140k range. Schools would be an important factor as well.
Truly not necessary to say! Congratulations would be just fine. We have all evolved from the KKK in Stone Mountain, and they have now moved to other regions as well. May God continue to bless us that think life no matter where it is is what you make of it. Mixed race or not.
Dr King has something to smile about. "Let freedom ring on Stone Mountain!!"
There it is # 39
she was 17
Winning numbers from the drawing were 8, 14, 17, 20, and 39, with Mega Ball number 7.
Curry said the numbers are a combination of family birthdays. She added that seven is the family's lucky number.
glad to hear it. I am sure you will have lots of people moving there now, it will be considered lucky
Took a look at SM property and I would say the houses are a bargain, but not extremely cheap. Some of the Homes prices are comparable with what we have in NY. What's cheap are your taxes. Your 1200ft home up here would probably be 3000-4000$ a year.
I live in a military town, that probably makes a big difference too. Not sure about the taxes, those are in escrow and i honestly haven't paid attention...which is a bad thing, I know.
Schools would be an important factor as well.
Just make sure the School newspaper does'nt have a Obituary section.
Congratulations Ira! Welcome to the Millionaire Club!
* For those who are curious to her comming forward so early etc,
everyone who wins isn't broke,poor or uneducated on how to handle $$$..look at her job description & how she was already living.lol People will always say what they will do
if they win,but what your mouth say an what you will do is 2 different things, I know!!!
Being a Millionaire has its challenges, Just like being Broke....The Key in Both is Mentality in Handling the Money and Not letting the Money Handle You!!!!
I was driving home this afternoon and thinking about Ira and her lucky stars. : ) And it got me thinking about my own life, what if i had won? Would I be able to come forward that quickly even if i wanted to?? And realized that i sadly would not. Not purely out of prudence or due diligence but rather because i would have SOOOOO many loose ends to tie up, it would be nearly impossible for me to step forward that quickly. At first glance its easy to be critical of her initial moves, but the reality is that maybe this lady does have her life together and there was really nothing holding her back from going to claim what's rightfully hers so soon after winning. I'm happy for her, genuinely so. But i'm also glad it gave me a chance to re-examine my own life and how much cleaning up i needed to do should i ever be so lucky. Not that i hadn't before, but this was a nice friendly reminder. GOOD STUFF IRA!!! BLESSINGS AND ALL THE BEST!!!!
Amen.
120 million dollars. I only won 1 dollar. Just one dollar.
Good for her but I know many attorneys and most are far from millionaires. I don't get this about her "not needing the money" just because she may have a good job and education. Maybe she sacrificed more than others? The days of unlimited OT for big clients ended years ago. There is also an old saying "An attorney who represents herself/himself, has a fool for a client."
She's a "vice president for property in the Atlanta office of Aspen Insurance"
according to an interview given by her boss.
But yeah, even people in high paying positions can have a lot of debt and expenses, so I'm sure this win comes as a nice surprise. I'm sure she had to study and work hard to get where she is. Also, what they dug up about her family, I'm sure she'll help them all rise up out of their situation.
When they wire the money to her account in 10 days, she'll be richer than Kim Kardashian.
120 million dollars
absolutely won't last long FREE MONEY Never does
TAXES!!! ALL the Family WILL want NEW cars, New homes, fabulous shopping spree's Galore, Vacations, College for them Grand kids paid maybe, etc..etc..etc...
oh yeah and it's CHRISTMAS
Lol how is that being paranoid? She claimed a ginourmous jackpot in less than 24 hours after winning, and her pic / age / name / home are pictured all over the internet.... with people like Abe Shakespeare being killed for their money I don't think that's being paranoid at all.
Intelligent lady, Claim it quick, get the media out of the way and get to living life with this new found wealth.
Reminds me of my swimming lessons, coach said...just jump in....and I did. I learned quick how to swim after that!
There's another train of thought that PR people will tell their clients that they should come out as quick as possible to get it over with and not let the hoopla build up...That the quicker they come out, the quicker they are forgotten and people move on to the next "big" thing...
that was Sad!
she might as well done the press conference everyone knows it all now anyways
In my area you will NOT find a home that size for $110,000 or so , it would cost you more like $400,000 - $ 200,000 and property taxes will
cost $5,000 or more . Location , Location , Location ...........In my simple home it cost $170,000 ( been living here for years )
and it's NOTHING huge like her's..................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The winner home shouldn't be online for the world to see .....congrats to her and family .........
I thought of this years ago , their's no way I could turn my ticket in that fast .....to many loose ends which might take me months ...
And other reasons ..........she had 180 days ......I also thought she might already spoke to an lawyer ......I am a thinker and planner
in my own life , just want to do the right thing , make it last for generations .
Our primary residence is near Orlando, FL and we are perfectly content with our home and neighborhood.
her pic / age / name / home are pictured all over the internet
That's happened to every big jackpot winner who lives in a state and doesn't allow the winners to
claim their prize anonymously, sooo what's your point
The stories of jackpot winners losing it all far out number the stories of jackpot winners being killed
so until those numbers change, quit turning every jackpot winner into a potiential Abe Shakespeare
Yep! that's paranoia!!
Abe trusted someone he shouldn't have and that happens every...single...day!
its kind of obvious why she cashed her ticket in so fast..now whenever the other winner comes forward everyone will be focused on them instead.
So happy for Ira Curry. Im sure she feels blessed beyond her wildest imaginations. I think from the way she learned of her winning and family and friends already knew before the media, she did the right thing to take it to GLC at least she can sleep knowing she has it in the hands of the officials and not having to worry about it being in her home fearing who might try to steal it.
There's nothing on the back of the ticket saying what you should do. Most players only know to sign and claim. She probably wants to give her family the best xmas ever. Her dumb part was not doing the press conference.
Yeah, most people don't have the benefit of what we learn here at LP. What's worked, what hasn't, etc., etc.
Yep. Prolly not many who could stand it, to wait several weeks through XMas and New Yr, to wait and claim the prize.
And yeah, if she was gonna claim as herself anyway, should have just done the presser and got it over with. Otherwise you leave them hounds wanting for more, and they'll go and dig up your personal business, hunting down your family, etc. Anything for the scoop.
Thank God for LotteryPost
Hope so
Congrats Ira Curry
"Curry said the numbers are a combination of family birthdays"
It sounds to me like somebody was probably born on the 20th, but if mom had her first at 17 or 18 maybe that apple never rolled far from the tree.
I'd hope that phoneman's info is wrong, since it would mean that besides rushing to claim the money and hold a press conference she or the 39 year old daughter started running their mouth well before the media showed up. If so that's another indicator that they may not be making the best choices.
Very few women who have a kid at 17 or 18 go on to become VP of a successful company, so that may suggest phoneman's info isn't correct. 39 could be somebody's age, could mean somebody was born on March 9th, she and her husband were born on the 3rd and 9th, or any number of other things.
She should've claimed it after Christmas .........it wouldn't make a huge differences ......
time and wait .......What's the big rush ...........the 2nd winner taking his / her time and
must have a plan ..............
If I ever win the Lottery for $$$$$$$ .......don't expect me to give a conference , that will NOT happen ...
You don't have to give a conference for the media ( if you don't want ) . I'll be like Gloria From Florida ,
Go to the Lottery and claim the tickets with the Lawyers ....
It makes perfect sense that she did purchase just one. With over two hundred and fifty milloin combinations, it doesn't help anyone's odds on bit by buying more then one ticket.
I wasnt guessing bc I have heard about her winning from a text message bc my mom's coworker inlaw works for her at her insurance company that she a VP of and I live 10 minutes from her grew in that same community plus my FB page lit up with everyone who knows them and her family
She could have waited more than 1 day to claim it and probably could have used a trust or LLC to do it thru a lawyer.
Another problem with this particular jackpot is that it was so high (not like a $10m JP that would die down more quickly.)
It's laughable that people compare any other lottery winner to that Abe Shakespeare character. You're talking about a homeless, illiterate, drug using moron who hit it big versus a grounded woman who has achieved personal success without having to win the lottery. I'm sure this lady will be just fine and like most of the big winners move on with their lives without a problem.
Remember a winner named Chris Shaw. I think it was the Powerball and he was missing his center teeth, was split from him wife but not divorced, bought the ticket at the mini mart he just started working at weeks prior. You heard all these awful things with restraining orders being issued by both sides when they were still a couple and they made the guy look like mud. Fast forward probably two or three years later and you haven't heard a word again.
Outside of this Shakespeare clown and that Whittaker person you don't really hear much about any of these people thereafter. Most of the pressure is going to be from friends and family and you can't avoid them unless you choose never to talk to them again.
I just think a bunch of what I read is just jealousy. Good for her claiming it the next day. Congrats and live a long life.
"It's laughable that people compare any other lottery winner to that Abe Shakespeare character. You're talking about a homeless, illiterate, drug using moron"
"...this Shakespeare clown..."
I think it's sad that anyone would refer to a soft-spoken, gentle, generous, trusting human being as a moron and a clown.
Completely Disagree. First of all, she doesn't physically get the money into her account for another TWO weeks. Secondly, not because she has the money deposited into HER account TWO weeks from now means that she can't contact financial advisors/lawyers ect during and after that time. I love how people always have all these financial/legal advice for others as though if she doesn't do these things RIGHT NOW, they cannot be done later on. I personally wouldn't have come forward that quickly, but that's jsut because i woulnt be able to, too many loose ends to tie up. But what if she simply wants her money into her account before making any of these decisions?? HER money, HER life, HER choice. Besides, these darn lawyers and financial advisors are most times WORSE than the leeching family members that she may have to confront. Who should she run to first? The likes of Madoff?? Stanford?? Dryer?? Maybe not the most prudent move on her part, but certainly not the dumbest!!!
TRUTH!!!!
Why does anyone need a financial advisor?
In half an hour I could teach anyone how to manage there money as good as most investors.
Not sure why anyone needs an attorney either. A living trust can be created online at a fraction of the cost.
I think i may have asked myself that very same question a million times and the only reason i can think of is because "they" said so. lol!! What amazes me the most are people with 20, 30, 80, 100+ million who cannot find comfort in simply knowing that they have enough cash to last themselves and their families a lifetime. Instead what do they do? They go seeking financial "advice" about how to make an extra $500K or another million or two and get themselves into all sort of financial products thay they dont even understand. I still dont get what is so wrong with getting your cash (in this case $100+ million), put most of it into the 5 largest banks in the nation, we already they will not fail for the most part. Put your cash on a CD/money market and let it grow until they figure things out for themselves. Some of these financial advisors / laywers are some of the worst out there. Sometimes far worse than the guy on the corner trying to get a few thousand off of you. Simply get your cash, park it in a few banks then slowly make your decisions. The important decisions that need to be made will take months upon months anyway, and although you have 180 days to claim your prize, you only have 60 days to choose between the cash or annuity in most States.
People always point at athlethes, lottery winners and entertainers with derision because so many of them end up broke. What most ignore is that MOST of these people at some point got bad financial advice or in some cases were robbed by managers, financial advsiors, lawyers. We overstate the relevance and importance of some of these people and fail to acknowledge that some are more ruthless than the gangsters out there. Who is more likely to get her into trouble? A family member/friend wanting a mercedes or a lawyer with access to her Trusts? A bad family business idea or a finacial advisior who robs her blindly under the guise of professional advice? The more i think of it, the more i LOVE what she did. GO GET IT IRA!!!!
Preach!!
Amen!! I say Amen!! lol
I've thought the samething and ended up with the same answer.
Funny how people also say when they win they will get their financial "team" together.
You win all this money all of a sudden you need a "team" of lawyers and advisers?
I watched an ESPN documentary called "BROKE", the things some of these athletes
invested in with the help of a financial advisor is just crazy!!
Congrats to Ira Curry. Now, most likely Ira Curry came forward so quickly was that she probably was taken for a ride ( big financial loss ) in the past by some financial adviser. Ira Curry wasn't about to do that again.
I already have a taxman and financial advisor, he said lottery is ok for enterntainment but don't count on it !
But he does buy a ticket when the JP gets up in the high ranges.