SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jim Kitauchi is one of only about 8,000 Orosi, California, residents; now he is one of its most rich and famous.
The 53-year-old quality control inspector and life-long resident of Orosi, came forward Tuesday to claim Saturday's $32 million California SuperLotto Plus jackpot.
Despite Kitauchi's newfound wealth, he said he had no plans to move from Orosi. "I'm just going back to a normal routine," he said. He did however plan to quit his job to pursue his other passions, including opening his own restoration shop for classic cars.
Initially, Kitauchi had no idea he had won. He said he stopped by the convenience store Sunday morning where he had purchased the ticket the day before. He was told someone had bought a winning ticket there. After running some errands, he went home and checked the numbers and realized he was holding the winning ticket.
The retailer who sold the jackpot-winning ticket, Kwik Korner Market, will receive a bonus of one-half percent, or $160,000, for selling the big winner. The estimated cash option for this ticket is $19.1 million.
The winning ticket was sold at Kwik Korner Market, which is located at 41354 Road 128 in Orosi. The winning numbers are 15, 41, 45, 29, 28 and the Mega number is 17.
BIG WTG Jim, more time to pursue your passion, I would love to have a classic car.
Congrats to Mr.Kitauchi on his big win, however if i won that amount my life and routine will not be the same! Enjoy it.
"I'm just going back to my normal routine."
Lucky Jim, poor Jim.
While I do offer Mr Kitauchi my heartiest congrats, he'll find out very soon that he isnt going back to his "normal routine". The public isnt going to let him.
Years ago, I knew a man that won a 6 million dollar jackpot. At that time, it had to be taken ver 20 years, there was no lump sum cash option. He dropped out of sight for quite a while due to being beseiged by people either asking for money or financial planners looking to "help him make even more money".
Most people didnt stop to think his payout was an annual before tax gross of $300,000. While that's a great annual income, the man never thought of himself as being a multi-millionaire. He did in fact enjoy an excellent quality of life as a result of his windfall, but he'd never tell you he was "rich" or even say he was "wealthy" because of it.
Congrats to Mr Kitauchi!
I like it when someone in their 50's wins ............... not because I am in my 50's
I already know who my friends are ............ so if I win ............... no one else needs to suddenly become my friend .................
I have my plans to hide and change what needs to be changed ...................
............... as for the Financial Planners ..................... they can get their commisions from someone else ............... I will seek advice, and invest for myself!
$59.8 Million Cash for Saturday's Powerball ................ with $38.87 Million after Federal Theft(tax) ............ I will pursue my passion for Sunshine
A huge congratulations to him! and I hope he succeeds in opening up his new shop. As everyone stated, his "normal" routine won't be the same, people will be coming out of the wood works with there hands out.
Mr Kitauchi's life ought to prove real interesting real quick.......
I wish him tons of luck and hope his dreams don't come back to haunt him
What a wonderful New Year's treat, winning the $32 million dollar lottery, which by the way, was totally unexpected. I guess you could have knocked him over with a tail feather! Anyway, blessings and peace in 2011.
Thanks for the idea ..................
I will just stay away from the woodwork if I win!
Yes...congrats to him! It definitely is good that is will pursue something that he knows about and is passionate about. And I agree about putting in safeguards against "long lost friends and cousins...and other unscrupulous people. I would pursue my passion of international travel...after I win I would claim the winnings as low key as possible, put in place my savings and investing plan, then finance my international travel from the interest earned from my winnings. There would be other business ventures I would pursue, but before doing anything, I would perform my due diligence and before making any decision, run everything my team of "advisors"....but in the end, the decision to move as well as the oversight will be mine alone (this I learned from Oprah Winfrey...that much I do admire about her and if people like Nicholas Cage, name your bankrupt professional athlete, etc practiced oversight of their finances, they too would not be broke today).
AF, Emirates, KLM, Delta, United, Marriott, Sheraton, InterContinental...here I come!
Congratulations to Mr. Kitauchi, Mr. Sidhu, and your families!
It sounds to me like your plans are wise ones.
Here's another perspective on Mr. Kitauchi's win:
"Kitauchi is such a regular customer that as soon as Sidhu sees him pull into the gas station, he prints a QuickPick lottery ticket for him."
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20110119/NEWS01/101190318/Celebrating-millions-Orosi-man-turns-in-winning-lottery-ticket
Congratulations to the winner. It took 14 rolls until somebody claim this jackpot in California Super Lotto Plus.
Just brought a $5 quick pick ticket for the Mega Millions drawing tonite,I will be satisfied with $22,720,000 cash.
Good luck Jim with the whole "normal routine" thing...hope it works out for you. Now, when I win...I will definitely leave the country for a long while...first stop : Zanzibar!
I like your choice of destination...I am currently a short plane ride away from there on a safari trip even as I write. I see that some lucky soul from NY won Powerball...here's hoping someone from LP won it.
a news report said that Kitauchi had spent $10 on lotto tickets every week since the mid 80's and he never won more than $11 until now. That's $13,000 on lotto tickets over 25 years. Sounds like he truely deserved to win.
Congratulations to him!