NEW YORK — A truck driver from Brooklyn has come forward as the winner of the second-largest Powerball jackpot in New York Lottery history.
David Johnson, 56, won the Dec. 26 drawing for the $298.3 million jackpot and has already quit his job to start enjoying an early retirement.
He opted to take a single lump sum payment of $180,227,550 which equals $114,091,248 after taxes. Johnson received his winnings on Friday at Resorts World Casino in Queens.
Johnson worked across the street from Arnold's Service Station on Linden Boulevard where he bought the winning ticket for $5. He said he didn't realize he had won the jackpot until he was alerted by a co-worker.
"A friend of mine, a next driver for the company, called me and said 'Hey Dave! Somebody won the Powerball by the gas station,'" Johnson said. "I turned to myself I said, 'Aw that's not me man, that's not my luck.'"
He still didn't check his ticket until his friend called him a second time urging him to do so. He didn't realize he'd actually won until two days later on his way to work.
"I went to the store and gave the ticket to the clerk to check. He scanned it and said 'Congratulations,' I needed to see it for myself, so I scanned and saw it read BIG WINNER," Johnson said.
He jumped up and down in the store when it finally sank in that he was the big winner. Now he has an attorney who will help him invest the money and take care of his family.
But he's going to have some fun too. Johnson said he will finally buy the red Porsche he's always wanted "so everyone can see me when I drive on the street."
His win marks the third consecutive Powerball jackpot win by a New Yorker in 2018.
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Congrats! Just saw the story on ABC World News Tonight. Enjoy your retirement.
Mr. Johnson enjoy that Red Porsche. Congrats!
298M to 114M
NY tax including city is a whopping 37 percent
I used to live in Queens in the 90s, and I know exactly where Linden Boulevard is. Good for him!
Why Porsche? Go for Bugatti
Congrats to Dave Johnson! He might be accompanied by 2 others in his area who joined the same club as he did recently. That may not be all, either!
He wants to buy a red Porsche so "everybody can see him"?!!
. I guess he never heard of the lottery curse, and it's thinking like that that helps to manifest it into reality. He should be buying the car to enjoy it, not so to want to draw attention.
The 298M was the annuity. He took the cash value, which was 180M. After taxes he received 114M.
I know...I wonder why choosing the cash removes so many millions ? Where do those millions go if you choose cash and why ? Why the advertisement says 298M ? Also why the Check also says 298 M? Also I wonder why it doesn't say "Only" after the amount written in words in the check
Another lottery winner who was forced to check his ticket by a friend/family member.
The $298 mil is the annuitized value of the jackpot if he was to take it in annual payments. The lower amount represent the amount of cash that would have been invested on his behalf to generate the annuity payments.
Nothing happened to the deference in the amounts since the interest hasn't been earned yet.
Difference Between Cash Value and Annuity
Need200k,
Taking the cash doesn't remove anything.
The advertised jackpot amount is if a winner opts for the anniity
from the power ball website;
Jackpot winners can either select their prize as an annuity or a lump-sum payment.
If the annuity option is selected, the winner is guaranteed to receive 30 graduated payments over 29 years.
The annual payments increase by 5% until the 30th and final payment.
The 30 payments added up equal the value of the annuity.
The current power ball jackpot is $161 million, but that $161 million doesn't exist, that's what a winner taking the annuity would get spread over 29 years.
That's why the cash amount is always less than the advertised jackpot.
Teh current PB jackpot is $11 million, cash value $96,800,800
From USA MEGA
Powerball Jackpot for Sat, Jan 26, 2019
$161,000,000
$96,800,000
H e received $114 mil after taxes withheld, but will still owe more taxes come April 15, 2020.
Maybach. Personally Aston Martin is my favorite. But all the racers know Porsche is the best.
If I had the money though I’d get an all original to every detail ‘68 Charger. Bullitt.
Always has been. Always will be.
He needs to buy a penthouse high up in the sky and have personal bodyguards outside the door and with him everywhere to prevent the lottery curse. And of course, not spend it all at once.
That's why I say this game is a fraud, and no one should play it. They advertise a jackpot that you don't win. You win about 60% of that.
Barf at the thought of the Bullit charger, surprised you wouldn't have gone for the charger from the original fast and furious movie jejejeje
as for me, I'd of latched on to the first Porsche 959 that would've presented it's self jejejeje
of course I could learn to love the earlier targa 911 jejejeje
Too late the curse of the lottery already got the poor sucker
too lazy to check for self online and letting a clerk check his ticket for him
If this guy wants to be a braggart with his wealth, this blessing is going to quickly flip on him. The key to asset protection is making sure as few people know you have assets worth trying to take. The powerball winner Jake Whittaker comes to mind. The guy should enjoy his new found wealth, but he needs to be smart about it and not try to "impress people" with it.
Yessss yardie. Gods blessing on your life. Amen.
So many horror stories comes to mind most recently a guyanes worker From my job who won a Jackpot game
was murdered on holiday back in his country. Lord Jesus.
Lottery curse exist?! Take the money and Just disappear folks.
PV (Present Value of Money) vs FV (Future Value of Money)
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/082703.asp
Wow interesting read. Thanks for sharing.
Congrats to the winner
Just imagine how much the advertised annuity jackpot would be if they increased the amount of payments from 30 to 35 or 40.
Most of us on Lottery Post know the deference between annuity and cash lump sum, but when people who don't usually play see those high numbers, they feel they must buy a ticket. That's when the frenzy begins.
It's all part of the lottery's BIG plan.
Hey blood I think I got the lotto, yo. check dis. ticket fo. me. Beep, nah sorry bro. yo. lost again.
It's all about Human Behavior and getting you to part with your Money!
I don't know about the curse but I am right there with you on the rest of it. Sets off some red flags. Sure hope he listens to his lawyer very carefully and listens to the right investment professionals.
Just because someone says one thing it doesn't mean they will go through with it. Some winners say all the "smart" things like investing, no large purchases, learning how to say no and make no promises, using the right team etc etc but then a year later they buy a huge mansion that could fit a whole village while it's only a husband and wife. My point is I think we need to get back to just congratulating people (winners) and wishing them the best. No point in talking about curses, or any of the other negativity because for one the winner isn't going to see it and secondly it makes us look super negative whereas this site has always been a place of such positivity.
"Johnson worked across the street from Arnold's Service Station on Linden Boulevard where he bought the winning ticket for $5."
How the heck did he buy a $5 ticket? In FL either all or none of the draws on a ticket are with Powerplay. Maybe NY is different?
I may do the media availability to thank all the Lottery employees and players around the World.
Plus mentioning Todd Northrop and Lottery Post. com and USAMEGA.com
After winning tens of millions of U.S. dollars I will spend a lot on advisers. Financial, Mental Health, plus others.
He's not a shy winner. Congratulations
wish them the best and hope you get lucky next time
Bugatti is some absurd figure like 20,000 per just an oil change I think...
I think Bugatti is for Billionaires not Millionaires or for US$500M+Millionaires
Also the new Bugatti the current model I think is $3M+
I think I read somewhere that the average Bugatti buyer already owns 40 other cars.
There are ONLY 1,000+ Bugatti in the world All models of Bugatti included
Easy; one ticket PB with PB ($3) and one PB sans PP ($2)=$5.00
Yolanda Vega, looking good for 63!
Finally and congratulations!!! Buy that red car for yourself. ..not to show off to others.
I see what you mean BL. We can purchase all single $2 plays on 1 ticket or all $3 powerplays on a single ticket but we can't mix both options on 1 ticket in TN. Might be a misprint or improper reporting.
congrats mr johnson on your win
and the hell on what people say god give you that blessing not them enjoy
His budget was five dollars he bought one mega,, one Powerball and one regular lotto. For a total of five dollars . People were buying hundreds of tickets and this guy hits it with one.
Im gonna win tha next jackpot.
-Colorado
He bought a $2 MM ticket, a $2 Powerball ticket, and a $1 Lotto ticket.
$5 is good and I have narrowed my play to 3 sets per game:MM and PB
He purchased a $5 Power Pack.
You get 1-Power Ball ticket, 1-Mega Millions ticket and 1-NYS Lotto ticket.
You just ask for a $5 Power Pack and get all three in one shot instead of asking for one of each separately.
The original Bullit was a Ford Mustang.
https://youtu.be/P9LvhFoorrE
Here's the movie chase scene.
https://youtu.be/ZeRwYKi3nws
Tucker so true. IKR!(i know right) #smh
this is what dad says, for ever to me. so i continue being happy to win as i did seventy two hours ago, thousands (same # by played multi-x) at pick 4, i love it.
better odds and i am happy with that, every other month. my father says tucker, don't believe the hype/don't be part of the fraud mega or pb because why also do 1 person "win" 9 out of ten times, with 100 million or more, why not let DOZENS win per state, or multiple states when so high like this or 100 million
and yet have enough left over for uncle same the taxes etc., he is right, the more i think about it, so i just play if ever sporadic, and don't lose sleep when i m not playing, but congrats to another "sole" winner. only fifties so still young enough to enjoy.and hopefully invest wisely,
BUT AGAIN tucker i agree with you.
FALSE ADS= false winning amount dad says this alot of times, i didn't realize it til he first mention this years ago, as well as what i wrote above. g-night.
and good luck all playing pick 3 and p4 etc., other games.
Congrats David, enjoy.
One ticket, and of course being close to a large body of..
noise-gate,
You've got me thinking that pretty soon the winner of a large jackpot will be someone working on an off shore oil rig!
CT- The way these jackpots are won, anything is possible.
Just consider this for a nano second, Mr Johnson crosses the road, puts down $5.00 & bags Millions,next thing, reading that we have winners in Puerto Rico, an Island. Then consider how many lottery pools are collecting hundreds of dollars twice a week & coming up empty. So, an off shore rig winner, is not an impossibility. Remember that winner from Iraq, that won an American lottery game played out of Oregon?
"You just ask for a $5 Power Pack and get all three in one shot instead of asking for one of each separately."
Interesting. Any chance it's actually printed as a single ($5) ticket, or is it just a short cut to print all 3 tickets? I saw an article that specifically said that buying one of each is his usual routine, but nothing about a "power pack".
"The original Bullit was a Ford Mustang."
The car he was chasing was a charger, so maybe that's what Soledad means. I appreciate the muscle cars of that era, but for the most part they were fast cars that handled like crap. Bias ply tires, which is what you'd have on an original in every detail '68 charger, is one of the reasons. If all you want is a collector car that you're not going to drive very much, or very fast, that's fine. If you think you're going to drive like they did in the chase scene either some changes or a different car would be money well spent.
Congratulations to the guy! Enjoy your early retirement!
Lottery pool.....is it heated? Olympic size or something to fit in a back yard? How many gallons of water does it hold?
The three games are not printed on one ticket. You get one ticket for each game's next drawing.
It's called a $5 POWER PACK or $5 PLAY PACK
The image below is a screen shot of what a NY Lottery retailer sees on their terminal.
It must be an older image since MM is not $1 / game any longer.
TMM,
I am looking at the bottom row: What does a $15.00 QP comprise of?
Thx.
You mean besides loosing all $15.00 *silently laughs for a few seconds then proceeds to cry*
" What exactly is the lottery curse?" How does one make sure it does not come upon you, should you be a lottery winner? Does throwing a glass of wine over your right shoulder keep it at bay, seek out the advice of a soothsayer? Explain?
Well Ppm, Mr Johnson put $5:00 on the counter and got a great return on his investment. Just trying to figure out what $15 gets you.
I wonder if any of these past three winners in New York hired the Lottery Lawyer from Long Island, NY? His name is Jason Kurland. He is on YouTube. I do not plan on hiring him. I can find local attorneys.
The left hand column lists the games, and the rest of each row is for one or multiple QPs for the game at the left. The $5 play pack is one QP each for PB, MM and Lotto, so the $15 QP is 3 of each game.
Got to make it as easy as possible for people to spend too much, after all.
Being unfamiliar with the games on the East Coast Floyd,l thought it best to ask. If ever l venture into that neck of the woods, l am now armed with the knowledge to ask for a $15.00 QP. Ain’t life grand?
"now armed with the knowledge to ask for a $15.00 QP."
I imagine you'd have figured out how to get what you wanted anyway. Just make sure they're clear that it's a $15 QP for the play pack. Just "$15 QP" could get you 15 tickets for Lotto.
Of course you probably shouldn't play in NY, anyway. If you're there and it's your only choice to play a game you want to play then that's the only choice, but no anonymity ad the state income tax rate is a good reason to play in a different state if possible. You'd have the same issues in VT and NJ, but MA, CT and PA all have lower taxes and will let you remain anonymous by using a trust. In the NE NH is the best option if you happen to be there. Anonymity (probably still best to use a trust, even if Jane Doe did get away without one) and no state income tax. Of course you'll have to move to one of those states before claiming to take advantage of their tax rate.
Given what you have just pointed out,l might just pass on purchasing a lottery ticket in NY. We are “ spoilt” in CA, given that our State does not tax lottery winnings. I need to experience that, however my initial interest in NY was that from time to time l travel abroad, should l have had downtime between connecting flights....
So what....you buy a ticket in NY, win a multi-million dollar prize and have to pay taxes to NY State.
You still end up with more millions than you have now. Boo Hoo
It all depends on the choices you have. For a winning ticket bought in CA or other state that has no income tax on the winnings you get 63 cents on the (cash value) dollar after paying taxes. In NY, where the top rate is nearly 9% you get 54.18 cents on the dollar. The winning ticket bought in CA is clearly worth more, so why buy the NY ticket if buying the CA ticket was an option that cost the same?
Since I live in NY that's where I' likely to buy tickets, but if I'm traveling I may have the choice to buy in a place that makes the ticket more valuable if I should happen to win. I was in NH last October, so my ticket for the $1.5 billion MM jackpot was a NH ticket. If I'd been the sole winner I'd pay almost $325 million in federal income tax at the 37% top rate, but not a dime to NH (where I'd have been a resident since shortly before January 1st). If I won with a NY ticket I'd pay the same $325 million in federal income tax (since the deduction for state income taxes is meaningless), but I'd also pay $77 million in NY state income taxes.
The nearest place to buy lottery tickets in a state with a lower tax rate is about 50 miles away, so it doesn't make any sense to spend 2 hours and put 100 miles of wear and tear on my car to drive there when there's almost no chance of winning the jackpot (it wouldn't make sense to move for the savings on a $1 million 5+0 prize). If I happen to be driving through one of those states anyway it makes no sense to wait until I'm back home to buy a ticket in NY.
CA is a bit of special case, because of the parimutuel payouts. If you were in NY (or any other state) when the jackpot is modest there might be some sense in risking the higher tax on a jackpot based on winning $1 million if you hit 5+0, depending on the likely payout in CA.