Last-minute lottery ticket wins $254 million Powerball jackpot

Comment #31

dingo — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:46:04 GMT

It's a good news for his family. One ticket! That's all it take to win.

Comment #30

golotto — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 01:18:56 GMT

Congratulations to the Wilsons.

This time a last minute Quick-Pick came through. Next time, a large jackpot could very well be hit by a person's own picks that they've been playing for years

... just as Powerball did on May 28, 2005.

Comment #29

RJOh — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:09:39 GMT

Chances are the clerk wouldn't know the ticket was a winner until after the drawing and the cost of the ticket had been charged to the store. At that point it belongs to the store unless the clerk put the cost of the ticket into the cash register and recorded it as a purchase.

Comment #28

Pick3forSC — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:23:21 GMT

That is correct, you cant cancel them in S.C. but i remember when S.C. first started selling PB, I would go in stores hear people just ask for PB, Q-pixs think they were automatically getting the Power Play option w/o asking for it. I also saw alot of them stick the store with the tix. too, because they did'nt know the difference between the actual game Powerball Powerplay TRUE STORY-- I was in a store a man asked for $10 in QP the lady printed them for him he asked why it did... [ More ]

Comment #27

JAG331 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:41:43 GMT

I was thinking that the store clerk might realize that the ticket is a winner and lay sole claim to it, without telling the manager.

Comment #26

sirbrad — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:37:58 GMT

Jim Wison has the option of receiving the $254 million in 30 payments over 29 years, or...

LOL! I don't see that happening. Unless he plans on going until 113.

Comment #25

MissNYC — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:52:33 GMT

I live in NY, but I play powerball in CT, and nearly everytime I've played, I've bought pre-printed tickets.

Comment #24

MissNYC — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:51:12 GMT

Congrats! I bet their sons are more excited than they are, not to mention any grandchildren. This is proof that you don't need to buy a lot of tickets in order to win, because usually, only one does. If it's meant to be, it will be.

Comment #23

RJOh — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:27:46 GMT

Why would there be an argument between a store owner and a clerk that works for him. Everything in the store that's paid for by the store owner belongs to him until it's sold to a customer. That's as foolish as a store clerk thinking he owns a piece of the winning tickets he sells or the rewards the store gets for him selling them. Working in a store doesn't make a clerk part-owner.

Comment #22

x1kosmic — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:19:01 GMT

I see what you're getting at, Let's say the store owner and the clerk settled their dispute, Are either one of them allowed to Win ? Kinda tricky. And if the answer is No, They would almost have to give ala sell the ticket to, mabey Grandpa, who just so happened to pop in at the store, exactly on the dot, 1 hour before the drawing. Don't get me wrong......I'm very One Million times Happy for them. Just kinda makes you wonder if something funny happened. I can't say exactly... [ More ]

Comment #21

Surge — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:09:55 GMT

That's so awesome! Good for them! I'm sure their sons who lost their jobs are greatful.

Comment #20

JAG331 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:56:00 GMT

I guess unsold is a confusing term. Perhaps unbought is better? Of course the ticket is valid since it was printed, but can you imagine a clerk and a store owner arguing over a winning ticket that no one bought

Comment #19

Todd — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:52:18 GMT

Printed tickets are not unsold . If the store prints a ticket and then does not sell it or cancel it prior to the drawing, the store pays for the cost of the ticket, less their commission.

The way most state lotteries operate is that the store maintains a bank account that the lottery can directly withdraw from (usually nightly), and the store maintains enough money in the account to reconcile their ticket sales.

Comment #18

x1kosmic — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:38:40 GMT

I wouldn't think, that any Printed Ticket, could go un-sold . Either the store owner, or the cashier, would have to buy those tickets. Are they allowed to Win ? I don't know. And let's say, they are allowed to win? Mortgage the Store, Print out a Gazzillion Qick-Picks, and hope for the best? Risky

Comment #17

JAG331 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:18:52 GMT

Yes, it's a good thing that Mr. Wilson bought those tickets. The poor cashier, maybe the Wilson's will give him or her a big tip.

This had the potential to turn into a volatile situation between the store owner and the cashier. Who claims the unsold winning ticket

Comment #16

cps10 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:05:10 GMT

They apparantly already sought the advice of a finance guy and a lawyer to get their ducks in a row....

Comment #15

nobie23 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 14:40:07 GMT

my understanding is yes you can't cancel a pb ticket and if all pre-printed tickets are not sold;then the cashier or whoever is working that evening would have to buy those tickets not sold.

the unlucky cashier is crying all the way to the bank

Comment #14

s5thomps — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 07:53:59 GMT

Wow, With Jim being 84 years old I sure hope he takes the cash option. You just never know when your number will come up! Congratulations to Mr. Wilson and his family.

Comment #13

Kidzmom — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:53:03 GMT

What! a stroke of luck

Comment #12

mangeydog — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:27:17 GMT

I doubt it was a mistake ticket. When the jackpot's get really large and they expect that there will be an increase in ticket buying a lot of places will print up a bunch of $5-$4-$3 tickets so they can save time. However, I see alot of people superstitiously turn these tickets down wanting their tickets printed out when they stand there, so I would bet somebody probably did turn it down.

Comment #11

LckyLary — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:30:00 GMT

I read the story on the KMOV website. Toward the end of the text it said that money doesn't always bring happiness and it gave a quick outline of JW's story. Being that I have not heard a PEEP out of the Lerners who won MM a few years ago for a similar amount, I don't get why they tossed that in. Are jealous reporters trying to jinx these people or just warn them? Not everyone who wins will make poor choices. Also I hope they are thankful to all of us who contributed to the jackpot (well I got t... [ More ]

Comment #10

ambelamba — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:52:20 GMT

I hope their grandchildren won't get spoiled by the winning prize. Well, as long as they can invest in the right place their descendants are all set for life.

Comment #9

wizeguy — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:48:31 GMT

Congrats to the Wilsons

Comment #8

cps10 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:35:14 GMT

DD

It hasn't worked for me yet

Comment #7

GASMETERGUY — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:18:35 GMT

If no customer bought those pre-printed tickets, would the store have been forced to eat that 254 million?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Comment #6

Tarzan — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:08:06 GMT

I don't know if it holds true for every state, but in SC powerball tickets can't be cancelled.If you say you want PB,then you buy em

Comment #5

wpb — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:02:51 GMT

doubledown, I buy my tickets but luck has not hit YET! I think we just have some gamblers in NC and a lot of people buying tickets. My time is coming. Soon I hope

Comment #4

DoubleDown — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:57 GMT

Hey WPB, what's up with all these North Carolinians getting 5 of 5 (and very wisely selecting power play ) on the PB ?

2 from this drawing won $1 million and there have been several NC tickets recently hit the 5 of 5..

I think I'm buying me some tickets in NC next time I'm there...

DD

Comment #3

DoubleDown — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:57:20 GMT

We can scheme , plan , and select our numbers all we want to, but as with this family, when it's your time, it's your time..

Not just a quick pick, but a quick pick that was already printed and just sitting there for who knows how long waiting for someone to buy it...

Way to go Wilsons

Comment #2

wpb — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:54:41 GMT

Talk about luck! Great story.

Comment #1

konane — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:51:45 GMT

Totally awesome and then some!! Huge congrats to them all!!

Wilson asked for a $5 ticket at a store shortly before the drawing, and the clerk mentioned that the shop had some $5 Powerball Quick Pick tickets with computer-selected numbers already printed, the statement said.

Wonder if these were mistakes or changed my mind tickets they offered him???? If so someone is certainly sorry they refused it.

Last-minute lottery ticket wins $254 million Powerball jackpot

Lottery Post — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:26:53 GMT

A retired electrician and World War II veteran is the winner of the largest lottery jackpot ever sold in Missouri worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars.

Jim Wilson II's, 84, and his wife, Shirley, say they will share the money with three sons. One of those sons, Terry Wilson, who said he hasn't had a vacation in 30 years, likely will be headed to Australia for some rest and recreation.

Jim Wilson came forward Monday to claim the winning prize from last Wednesday's drawing, said... [ More ]