Includes video report
MCLEAN, Va. — A 25-year old McLean, Virginia, man won the third-largest lottery jackpot in Virginia state history and his use of Facebook is partly the reason for his riches.
Brian McCarthy won $107 million in the Mega Millions lottery after buying a ticket in a Giant grocery store in Herndon.
McCarthy says he checked his ticket after reading an article posted on a local radio station's Facebook page that posted the winning numbers.
After checking the article, McCarthy phoned his family, who didn't initially believe he had won a massive amount of money.
"My dad kind of freaked out a little bit and mom started crying," McCarthy says.
Rather than taking $107 million in 26 annual payments, he opted for a $68.4 million lump sum payment.
McCarthy, who had been working as an account manager at Pepsi, informed his boss he was quitting, but wasn't allowed to tell his boss why.
"I didn't tell anyone but my family for the first three-and-a-half weeks or so," McCarthy says. "On the last Friday, when I met my boss and turned in my computer, I told him and he got a kick out of it."
He purchased a new car and took a trip to Ireland. He also donated $25,000 to two Herndon charities — Herndon-Reston FISH Inc. and the Herndon Optimist Club.
McCarthy says he plans to "go slow" with the rest of the money.
The $107 million jackpot is the third largest in Virginia lottery history.
J. R. and Peggy Triplett of Winchester won the largest jackpot in state history. They won the $239 million jackpot on Feb. 20, 2004. Steve Williams of Shenandoah, won the second largest jackpot of $200 million on Oct. 16, 2009, according to the state lottery, which says the lottery generates $1.2 million a day for Virginia's schools.
VIDEO: Watch the report
Thanks to hearsetrax for the tip.
That was so cool..Lying in bed and hearing that the store you got the tickets from hit the jackpot.....granma was thinking Brian was just pulling her lag and made him a grilled cheese...Too funny.. best of luck to the 25 year old
Awesome he only purchased 5 tickets and the 2nd was a winner!
When will i get that lucky :(
Congrats to the winner..........
Congrats to the winner , Enjoy !
Congratulations Brian McCarthy! WTG!
68.4 Million at 25 years old. Wow.
I'd like to try that in my next life.
I'd rather try it now though at my current age which is a tad older than that.
Congrats to Brian. Looks like a smart young man with a good head on his shoulders. Best of luck to him.
Congratulations to the jackpot winner. I didn't know why the Mega Millions Jackpot was revised upward when the jackpot was won.
Been seeing old folks winning them jp, it's refreshing to see young ppl can win too! heh
So much the "old" winning all of the time ?!?!
cum on 108 6338
smart guy too,after taking a bite of the deli's sandwich he says:it's good,but grandma's is better.LOL
cum on ppl what new york do
his win was from july 1st.
Congrats to the winner,now i have to wait another 2 years for the chance of winning the jackpot in VA.
well how do you think i feel, and live only 45 mins away from where he purchased his tickets. I can't even beat pic 3, so I guess I will have wait the next four years to win.
My luck definately stinks, but I am hopeful due to me starting a lottery pool. There is hope!
I guess i have to try my luck with Powerball, after all there have not been a Powerball winner in VA yet.Powerball here is still a long shot, West Virginia and North Carolina got it locked down in this part of the country.
Oh really? I didn't know that, well if this is the case I have two friends in each state that I can get in contact with so I can get my millions. What to tag along?
Congrats to Brian.I don't know why a young man like Brian would take the cash option.That's a lot of cash ( $68.4 million) I think Brian will be dead broke in five years. Young men like to spend their money on wild women and drink.
No it doesn't.
"Young men like to spend their money on wild women and drink"
Old men like to do that too.
That's what I've heard anyway.
thats what am talking about a, young person wins the lottery, he can enjoy that money for a long time!
am 24 my self, thro i would of never went public
and hes facebook account better be closed, as he be getting spammed with requests LOL
I think Brian will enjoy his win.
Another smart QuickPick player!
"He purchased the lucky Quick Pick ticket at a Giant Food store in Herndon, VA..."
http://www.lottery.com/news/virginia-man-claims-$107-million-mega-millions-jackpot.htm
I'm soooo Happy a younger person has won and here in dothan,alabama where i live i haft to drive to the florida line just to play and i won off cash 3 and play 4 before but now i'm trying to win the big BUCKS i'm in it to win it i only play Lotto,Powerball and Fantasy five now at times Mega money and thats on a feel good DAY!!!
cONGRATS TO BRIAN..
AND I wholeheartedly agree with u rdgrnr...on the now part.
I am a 25-year-old Virginia resident. But, for the record, I was not the winner.
I'll assume then that I can cancel sending you a prospectus for my Chicken Soup in a Sponge idea.
I'll keep you on the potential investor list for the future though, just in case, so you don't miss out on this opportunity.
I remember a time when it seemed like only old people won the lottery. I wish it was me, but it wasn't. Congrats to him. I bet every chick who didn't want him before is going to want him now. I hope stays smart.
now he can turn them down, after he gives em the old "road test" of course.LOL
What?
What on earth do you mean?!
Who would ever think of doing such a thing?
I'm shocked and appalled!
Wish I was that lucky. Oh well, someday I might be!
Wow, I wish I could have won that when I was 25!
When Brian told his grandma "I won the lottery",she probabaly thought he only won $5.00 . Congrats to Brian