Virginia Mega Millions $348 million lottery winner plans to buy lawnmower with record prize

Comment #21

KY Floyd — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 04:50:14 GMT

they had or have a game where the prize stipulates taxes paid and you actually get the advertised amount.

I remember seeing something about a game that did that, but it was a long time ago. If such a game exists now I haven't seen anything about it. I wish I'd checked (or remembered if I did check) to see if it really was a set amount after taxes, because the taxes could vary quite a bit depending on a winner's taxable income. Even if the prize was only 10k, that would add $3700 in federal... [ More ]

Comment #20

billybucks — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 03:16:14 GMT

Not sure if that is something that anyone has any control over. The fact that there are no winners for a number of drawings to get it to the higher jackpot doesn't make it all that surprising when there is only one

Comment #19

dickblow — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 02:55:03 GMT

always one winner when jackpot high such a ripoff

Comment #18

ShagE3 — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 02:05:01 GMT

All this talk about annuity vs cash value and tax rates on sed winnings makes me think of one word.

LIVERWURST!

There I got that off my chest.

The Shag has spoken .......

Comment #17

grwurston — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 01:16:55 GMT

Just my opinion, but I think all lottery winnings no matter the amount should be 100% tax free.

Comment #16

JustMaybe — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:37:01 GMT

@Tucker Black

I do agree with you on the interest. The winner gets all the interest and that is why the amount being paid out after the 30 years is way more than the cash at hand/bank today.

What I like about the lump sum is that the money is invested in very safe government bonds. If the US government bonds fail, then the economy is all failed, doesn't matter where your money is, there would be a ripple effect.

If I won the jackpot today, I would put all the money in government bond... [ More ]

Comment #15

billybucks — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:05:07 GMT

But it so well known now it hardly seems worth discussing. They don't now at least advertise the cash value in small print. You know what you're getting in for beforehand. You have to blot it out of your mind if you hit it. It really shouldn't eat away at you all that much.

Comment #14

Tucker Black — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 20:40:13 GMT

They don't earn any interest on your winnings. You get all the interest. This is why the sum of annuity payments is about double the lump sum value.

The reason why they advertise the annuity value and put the real number (cash, today) in small print is only because it's a larger number. People see a larger number and they're more likely to buy tickets. It's not false advertising but really sneaky and I don't like it.

Comment #13

Brock Lee — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 20:25:13 GMT

even young winners take the lump sum.

i can't remember which state lottery did this, but they had or have a game where the prize stipulates taxes paid and you actually get the advertised amount.

Comment #12

billybucks — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 20:06:11 GMT

Yes, they prefer for you to take the annuity. They probably make some extra off of that. What they don't do is use your winnings to pay smaller pots. But the age of winners is on the elderly side so they just take the lump sum it seems. The more common 1 million dollar winners end up with around 460k. If you don't know that going in it must be a jolt to your cardiovascular system after you held a million dollar check for the picture and 20 minutes later they come out with a check for 463,219.00... [ More ]

Comment #11

hlamb — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 19:43:59 GMT

It's mularky, that in order to receive the lump sum they only give you half before taxes. The crap they spin on you about this is what it would earn over 30 years in hogwash. They do it this way to encourage winners to opt for the long term so they can earn interest off of your money as well as pay winners of smaller pots

Comment #10

noise-gate — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:10:18 GMT

* As the song goes it's my party and l can cry if l want to it's the winner's money they can spend it the way they want to.

Comment #9

Todd — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:54:17 GMT

Seems like we need a reminder about how jackpots are calculated. This and many more lottery videos are accessible by clicking Lottery Post Videos in the left-side menu.

Comment #8

JustMaybe — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:40:38 GMT

I believe the $348M is meant to capture the human brain.

It's a future promise that we get sold.

The $89M is the now, today, which would not be enticing to many people.

The people that strategize the lottery know how to play with the human brain.

When am playing, I always look at the final amount after all taxes. I block out everything else.

Comment #7

johnnyBlaze — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:37:47 GMT

Uncle Sam only ate what he always does -- his standard 37%. Mega Millions are 56% of that.

Your anger is misplaced.

Comment #6

pstfleur — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:23:10 GMT

Good lord, from $348 million to $89 million after taxes. Uncle Sam eats so good.

Comment #5

JustMaybe — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:44:49 GMT

I agree with you.

But am also thinking maybe they quit their day job and are trying to fill their days with something meaningful to do.

Most people play the lottery to get financial freedom from work. You then end up with so much time and don't know what to do with it because all your friends are not as rich as you are and still have to trade their time for a check.

That something meaningful to do could be very varied across individuals.

If I won the current PB jackpot, am quitti... [ More ]

Comment #4

hearsetrax — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 16:21:07 GMT

Comment #3

Selflesshuman — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:38:27 GMT

Remaining anonymous is wonderful. Live in peace

Comment #2

billybucks — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:04:57 GMT

With 348 million or whatever is left after taxes and taking the cash option, I would hire a landscaper to mow my lawn.

Comment #1

Bleudog101 — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:54:46 GMT

ZTR mowers are 'fun' to drive, but they will tear up your lawn in a NY minute if you turn too fast especially if the grass is damp.

We had bought a used one...big mistake...tons of money spent on repairs and just ended up giving it away to a co-worker (also bought a new engine for it). Of course this person won't have these problems since no doubt the bugs have been worked out. Now we just pay $60/week for almost 2 acres with their huge ZTR's

Virginia Mega Millions $348 million lottery winner plans to buy lawnmower with record prize

Lottery Post — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:28:47 GMT

Winner of biggest lottery prize ever awarded in Virginia dreams of landscaping luxury

By Kate Northrop

The winner of a $348 million Mega Millions jackpot, the largest lottery prize ever won in Virginia, has stepped forward to claim it, and they already know what they'd like to buy first.

A $348 million Mega Millions jackpot winner can fulfill their dreams of landscaping luxury now that they have officially claimed the biggest lottery prize in Virginia state history.

One single pe... [ More ]