Lucky for Life top prize winner shrugs off prize, says the money won't go far
By Kate Northrop
GASTONIA, N.C. — A lottery player who won the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life was doubtful that the money would go far in today's economy.
In a time of rising inflation and high gas prices, one North Carolina man was not feeling the shock and awe most winners usually feel when they win a big prize in the lottery.
In fact, Jimmie Shindler of Gastonia does not have any lavish vacations or home projects planned for the near future even after winning $1,000 a day for life.
On Tuesday, the North Carolina Lottery announced that Shindler bought a $2 Lucky for Life ticket through Online Play and won the game's top prize of $1,000 a day for life, which can also be claimed as a lump sum.
He matched all five white balls — 1, 17, 25, 27, and 42 — and the yellow Lucky Ball 10 to win the top prize for last Wednesday's drawing on Aug. 3. The odds of winning the top prize in Lucky for Life are 1 in 30,821,472.
Shindler showed up at Lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Monday to claim his winnings, which can either be received as $365,000 a year each year for the rest of his life or a $5.75 million lump sum. He opted for the lump sum and ended up taking home $4.08 million after taxes.
However, the 60-year-old didn't have much to say about how the money could be put to good use.
"Just going to save the money," Shindler told The Charlotte Observer. "$4 million is not much these days, my friend."
Instead of booking an exotic getaway or going house hunting, he told the journal that he'll continue working in technology services for the City of Gastonia until he retires in two years.
"I'm down to earth," he continued. "I cut my grass. Just simple. Just [going to] relax."
With three adult daughters and three adult sons, he and his wife, Anna Marie, were initially happy about the win, but figured that $4 million would not go far.
Perhaps they'll enjoy a dinner out, they said, but for now, the money is best kept safe in savings.
Be Frugal and see How Far $4,000,000 will Go!
It might go farther if he invests it well. I get what he's saying tho, with 6 adult kids who are in their 20s/30s (guessing) it's a small cushion. It might help them all buy homes.
Better than nothing!
Effing delusional hayseed
He has no clue on how to invest this windfall. Sounds very ungrateful to me; heck let me win $100K post taxes and that money will grow big time.
Either he's already rich or suffers from bouts of depression. Congratulations to him. He beat incredible odds.
He could give each adult child $16,000 (to let them know he thought about them) and bank the rest until he talks to a financial adviser. Congrats to him.
He knows his kids are vultures 🤣🤣🤣
I'm happy for him. It's smart that he want's to save his money. What I'd probably do is pay off all my debts first then invest it with a good advisor. With what everything costs these days, $4million doesn't go far, but I'll take it.
Probably depressed he didn't hit the billion dollar Mega Millions prize.
* Some lottery players have been at it religiously for decades & never came close to winning anything close to Jimmie's windfall. Same goes for NBA & NFL greats who never got to wear the ring.
*Jimmie sounds like he pulled in a 2ft marlin.
At least he's not so delusional he would live in the Bronx with the rats.
Congrats
Instead of quietly collecting the 4 million $ prize this media <snip> draws attention to himself saying 4 mil isn't much these days! It's a helluva lot more than he had before he hit it. Every LP member knows to take half the win and invest it in a money market it will double in 7 years. In the meantime it's nice to know you can walk in to a car dealership and buy a shiny new car no worries. Take this commentary with a grain of salt.
Well its not the usual feel good story we read about this man should be lucky he won if he doesn't want the money give it away ......I'm assuming he thinks his kids will have their hands out but he should cheer up sounds like he's a penny pincher .....just a fyi your not going to take it with you lol
He's right in a way. How many times have we read about big jackpot winners ending up broke in 5 years from splurging on expensive items, because they wanted to show off how much money they have?
In his case it sounds like he was happy in life before he won and he's not going to let it change him. Congrats!!
"Well its not the usual feel good story we read about"
It's a feel good story even if the guy doesn't know, but maybe he's just really focused on the reality that he's very comfortable but not rich enough to indulge too much.
By staying on the job he'll be collecting a pension that's probably already fairly comfortable, and when he's ready he can start collecting social security too. After paying the rest of the taxes he'll probably net about $3.3 million, which could give him another 130k or so from a safe and conservative investment. If he spends lavishly he'll die broke if he doesn't die soon, but he's got more than enough to pay reasonable bills that include modest indulgences like 10 or 15k worth of annual vacations.
Congrats to Jimmie, he has the right idea, food is up, Gasoline is up, electricity is up, medicine is up, water is up, the stock market is down, inflation is at an all time high and we are in a recession.
For the first time in my life, war with China is a reality, we have no real leadership .
So, look for good deals, spend with care and save some dollars for a rainy day.
The dollar store is now the $1.25 store, good grief !
If I invest 1-10 dollars and get a return like this person did, I would be so happy. Most people play their whole life
and never win over 500.00.
Those adult kids are going to be expecting Santa Claus to be good to them this coming Christmas, Jimmy ain't no fool.
exactly
Congrats. Nothing wrong with being pragmatic.
Sad that he is taking that attitude.
Attitude of graditude would be much more effective.
Here's wishing him well.
Might send him some Kleenex, cuz that 750$ per day is nothing to sneeze at.
from the sounds of it, he had a already full plate b4 he won
this was the extra fattening desert he did and not want .....
I wish him well and hope he finds some decent investments
At my age that money would be fine, I would be happy to have it.
Sully, I am so old I remember the 5&10 store. of course things were not that cheap. I agree with you 100%!
any money is better then none
Congratulations to him😛
I could find things to do with that win. invest in certain stocks then watch that money go further.
HEY YOU YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER!!!!
RESPECT YOUR ELDERS!!!!
I'm tired. Time for my afternoon nap.
You give me the opportunity to receive 4 Million, and I'll show you how far it can go,
even in today's economy.
He could just be trolling.
He might have said "it was the first ticket I ever bought and all I got was $4 million". That would have been a better troll I suppose.
If he really meant it then what was he doing playing a game where he could "only win $4 million". You have to wonder about some peoples logic.
Funny, Sullenburger16, I was just at the dollar store to buy laundry products and not only were they $1.25 but there was less in each container too. So instead of being $1.25 they were the equivalent of $1.333 per container vs the old $1 size!
I guess us greasy deplorables aren't suppose to notice those things...
I play certain games for certain prizes vs the odds. Maybe he meant that $3.3 or $4 million wasn't a good payout for beating 30 million to 1 odds?
It is obviously a ruse to prevent people from hounding him for money. Including his own family I would surmise. No one will dare approach him now or get their head bit off by him. If he said I am going to help family and friends by giving them all the minimum tax free amount of 15k so no one says they got short changed. Same amount for everyone. He would be hounded for months if he said that. It is the old just say you are going to lock it all with investments and no one will bother to attempt to coerce him out of any of it. Smart move actually. That is not a good lottery game to play for a 60 year old anyway. The prize is abysmal unless you are under 30 then take the 365k a year for life. I'd rather play a ten million dollar state lotto game over this. The payout is better and the odds are lower.
You might be right.
Unfortunately, he'll inviting lots of cold calls from financial advisers after making public statements about doing nothing with $4M but saving it.
Exactly,what I as thinking. He knew the jackpot for that game was only $4M to begin with, why buy the ticket. He definitely seems ungrateful for the win. Someone else said he sounds depressed.
Probably wished the prize was $1.33 billion and was just yapping the old gum.
Killjoy: a person who deliberately spoils the enjoyment of others through resentful or overly sober behavior!
He is absolutely right, if the money isn't managed well, he could end up back a square one. Many lottery winner don't understand this and squander their long-term financial security.
Oh yeah, was so much fun to go there.
Hamburger $7.99 a pound
For me, will be elated when a new article comes on LP. Sick of this one.
The money pro's know something he doesn't. They know that he's now classified as what financial institutions call a "high net-worth individual".
Money pro's understand the significance of that and the doors it can open, but I'm willing to bet $100 he doesn't. Financial advisers know how foolish he sounds when he says he's going to put that much money in a savings account. They know what alternative investment vehicles are now available to him that otherwise would not be. That's the reason for their cold calls. (Not to mention the cold calls from scam artists too.)
Of course the money pros want to make a nice fat fee off managing his money too.... G5
He could placed that $4 Million in Apple's common stock. If he holds the stock for 20 years, that investment might grow to over $150 Million. Although most folks would not look at it that way. He should had set up a Trust and collect the winnings from the Lottery. This way, no one would know his identity as a lotto winner...
Nc lottery rigged period, matched everything online,it's always one part of the state that gets lucky..
Instead of helping out a 'friend' in the Army who was returning stateside pay for an apartment, my inner voice kept telling me back in '91 to buy Apple stock. In hindsight it sickens me as many times as that stock has split and knowing I'd be in 7 digit territory now. Same as when I worked for Harvard Medical School, classes available for on space available $10 each. Didn't take advantage of that either. Well that is water under the bridge; always go with your gut folks.
When I do hit the big lottery (no if) the naysayers in my life won't get a penny. In fact most won't know.
Come west to Kentucky if you think your lottery is that bad. You guys still have mechanical balls vs our two year old switch to suck a-- RNG.
Which is why a person who is not a seamstress should not be lining other people's pockets. Keep it in your pocket.
This chap is an ingrate. He has 4 million reasons to be thankful and rebuffs the value.
In a side note dollar store for twenty years kept the same price. Wonder how many person's can go 20 years with no pay raise and still.keep the home fire burning. Just putting things in perspective . I respect capitalist economy.
Money bag ol Scrooge Mcduff bet you he wouldnt let you borrow 5 bucks
Someone could work for 20 years and never see a million dollars yet he spent change and won millions,he's talking like he wants to be on the cover of Forbes if so invest it wisely
My goodness you win $4 million and you crying 😭 about how far it will go. Yet you going to continue to work. Clearly you are well off to make such a stupid comment. $4 million dollars should last you a lifetime. You are not a lavish spender. You seems to be not a traveler. Why wouldn't $4 million dollars last you 🙄. Some people are ungrateful. Had he won mega millions 💰. $1.3 billion doesn't go far as it use to. My question to you sir. Why even play the lottery if you going to be whinny 😭 wussy little fraidy cat.
Exactly 💯
Preach 🙌
This new lottery design stinks 😩
Preach 🙌
Whinnying about winning $4 million dollars. Sounds like he's ungrateful 🙄
For all his complaining about the prize that anyone with common sense would be elated over winning, you don't see him forfeiting the prize do you?
He sounds ungrateful and unhappy. If I won $4 million after taxes, I would feel freedom from quitting my job and having the time to travel, start a hobby that I enjoy and share a little with a few charities...all anonymously of course.