Minnesota family wins first Lotto America jackpot worth $22.8 million

Mar 20, 2018, 7:41 pm (31 comments)

Lotto America

Debbie Kujava stopped at a Holiday convenience store in Roseau, Minn., to buy a Diet Sunkist after work on March 13.

While there, she decided to buy a lottery-ticket bundle for $7. She thought she might win $1 or $2.

When she realized on Thursday that her ticket matched every number for the multi-state Lotto America game, she stepped outside to calm down and smoke a cigarette.

"I was shaking. My heart was beating so fast," Debbie Kujava said Monday at Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville. "I couldn't believe it."

Then, she called her brother, Dennis Kujava. The siblings had an agreement: if either of them won the lottery, they would split the money evenly.

The siblings live a half-mile apart in Badger, Minn.; a small town of 375 near the Canadian border on Minnesota 11.

Debbie Kujava thought they won $2 million. When she told her brother she thought they were millionaires, he said, "Yeah, right."

It was Dennis Kujava's daughter, Denise Kujava, who discovered they had actually won $22.8 million. She and her sister will share their father's half of the jackpot.

After finding out she won the jackpot, Debbie Kujava worked three 12-hour shifts over the weekend as a licensed practical nurse at LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.

She resigned from her job at 7 p.m. Sunday.

When she told her boss she was quitting because she had won the lottery, Debbie Kujava started crying. "I love my job. I love my residents," she said.

Debbie Kujava, 57, plans to pay off all of her bills and her house, as well as donate to multiple charities including North Country Horsemen Saddle Club in Middle River, Minn.

Denise Kujava, 34, works at Polaris Industries in Roseau and plans to pay off her camper. "That's all I know for now," she said Monday as she, her father and her aunt validated their winning ticket with the Minnesota Lottery.

Dennis Kujava, 66, is retired from working at Polaris. He plans to donate some of the money to Concordia Lutheran Church in Badger.

"We've been going there all our lives, and it's a rural church," Dennis Kujava said.

After taxes on the $13.5 million cash-option payout, the Kujavas will receive a check for about $9.4 million. As the store that sold the winning ticket, the Holiday at 503 Third St. N.W. in Roseau will receive a $10,000 bonus.

The Kujavas won the first jackpot prize in the Lotto America game that began just four months ago. Lotto America replaced the canceled Hot Lotto game.

The odds of matching all five Lotto America numbers plus the Star Ball are 1 in nearly 26 million, according to the Minnesota Lottery.

Along with Minnesota, Lotto America is played in Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.

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Pioneer Press

Comments

music*'s avatarmusic*

The tax man certainly ruins the party. The Kujavas may also owe more taxes on the $9.4 million check. State and Federal taxes are silent partners in our game. 

lejardin's avatarlejardin

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Mar 20, 2018

The tax man certainly ruins the party. The Kujavas may also owe more taxes on the $9.4 million check. State and Federal taxes are silent partners in our game. 

I totally agree Music.  Dont get me wrong, I would be happy and grateful to win this jackpot but to come out with less than $9.4 million net from a $22.8 million jackpot, well that is pretty pathetic.

But congrats to the winners.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

You are missing the fact that they chose a $13.5 million CASH PAYOUT.  The $22 million was an annuity. The taxes were based on the cash amount, not the $22 million.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Mar 20, 2018

You are missing the fact that they chose a $13.5 million CASH PAYOUT.  The $22 million was an annuity. The taxes were based on the cash amount, not the $22 million.

Exactly- added to that is the fact that these folks are at home in a small community of 300 plus people.That $9 million split down the middle in that little Town will go further than $9 mil in NY or SF. They set for life.

I am no smoker, but what’s with folks always reaching for a cigarette for almost anything? Close car crash, gotta light up! Go over Niagara Falls in a barrel & survive.. gotta have a cigarette.

billybucks

they seem just as happy and contented as the winners of powerball and mega millions big jackpot winners are. they  weren't afraid of revealing their identity.

fellini

I'm glad they're not afraid of publicity.

noise-gate

If they grew up in that little Town, chances are everyone knows everyone.What's there to be afraid of? The Town folks are their Posse! You ride in there looking to cause trouble.. 

music*'s avatarmusic*

I will not argue the numbers. Any way you look at it the taxes are immoral.

 Lottery winners must look ahead toward retirement. There is no loan or guarantee for retirement. A winner does not want to go back into the workforce. 

 It is tacky to beg a lottery winner for some of the retirement funds that were won.

 The green-eyed monster Jealousy, Envy, Resentment, Killjoy raises its head. Jerk. 

Bleudog101

Being lazy with 5" of beautiful snow here.  This game replaced Hot Lotto; does that mean it is a RNG game?

Todd's avatarTodd

No, it's a traditional ball drawing.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

It is naive to assume if you live in a small town, everyone will be supportive of a big winner.  Jealousy and resentment is not limited to the big cities. Lol

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Mar 21, 2018

It is naive to assume if you live in a small town, everyone will be supportive of a big winner.  Jealousy and resentment is not limited to the big cities. Lol

Wasn't there a girl who had a small child a few years ago from a small mid west town that won between $1-5 million and started getting harassed by people and had a stalker ? She then moved out to OR or WA and worked in a zoo. I know I am not properly recalling the story 100%

gunjack

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Mar 20, 2018

The tax man certainly ruins the party. The Kujavas may also owe more taxes on the $9.4 million check. State and Federal taxes are silent partners in our game. 

they penalize you for taking a cash option, what a shame

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by gunjack on Mar 21, 2018

they penalize you for taking a cash option, what a shame

There is no penalty for taking the cash option. The cash option is the amount that would be used to buy the annuity to pay out over however many years it's purchased for. If a person chooses the annuity, then he/she would receive the advertised jackpot over the life of that annuity. If a person chooses the cash option, he/she receives the cash amount up front that would have purchased the annuity. It's really not that hard.

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