$14.3 million lottery winner almost didn't claim prize

Jan 24, 2012, 7:18 pm (21 comments)

Wisconsin Lottery

For three days, employees of the Kelley Williamson Mobil station that sold Saturday's winning $14.3 million Megabucks ticket wondered who the lucky buyer was.

They hoped it was a regular customer, like Napolean Elvord, an ailing veteran in need of a kidney transplant who comes in several times a day to get what he calls "one of the best coffees in Madison" — and most days, to buy lottery tickets.

"I asked him the next day, 'Were you the big winner?'" said Paul Muchie, 29, of Madison, who sold the winning ticket at the store at 3859 E. Washington Ave. on the Far East Side.

Elvord said it wasn't him, but as days passed with no one coming forward to claim the millions, manager Corky Wunderlin asked again.

"He thought it was Wednesday's drawing" that had the multimillion winner, Wunderlin said.

Elvord said he found his ticket from Saturday's drawing on a table at his home.

"A couple people gave me the numbers," he said, but when he compared them with his ticket, "It didn't mean anything."

So Elvord, who said he'll turn "60 in a couple years," took his ticket to the Wisconsin Lottery office to see if he was the winner. "The first thing they asked me was, 'Did you make up the ticket?'"

Most people who come in already know they have a winning ticket, explained Michael Edmonds, the lottery's director.

What went through his head when he realized he had won millions?

"It's still going through my head," said Elvord, who opted for a $10.2 million lump sum payment, giving him $6.87 million after taxes.

A first priority is taking care of health insurance, said Elvord, who has been receiving dialysis for five years. He also plans to return to the warmer climate of his native Texas.

Elvord said he had let another customer go ahead of him before Muchie printed out his winning Megabucks ticket with computer-generated numbers. "I think it was a mistake because I was trying to play the Powerball."

Wisconsin State Journal

Comments

mcginnin56

Love this story. Apparently Elvord was trying to purchase a Powerball ticket...... not the Megabucks.

When mistakes or confusion take place when buying a ticket.....good fortune alway's seems to follow$$$

I alway's buy the mistake ticket(s) whenever the cashier offers to print a new one.  Wink

Congratulations Elvord!  Sad Cheers

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Glad to see a regular guy like Elvord win a big one like this.
God bless him.

JAP69's avatarJAP69

"The first thing they asked me was, 'Did you make up the ticket?'"

Just what does that mean? They think he printed it up himself ?

I get mental block at times But I can not figure out that statement.

gocart1's avatargocart1

 I sent this story to Todd as soon as I read it ..I readly find it to be pretty wild stuff

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

i often tell people to go in front of me,

at any store, it's good for you and shows sense of commuinity

when i read this i was glad  i did't win that game,

congrats napolean, get well,hopefully the tx.

 climate and the feeling of being home will help cure you,

have heard of such things,

i'll take my win another game. Smile

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

God Bless Napolean Elvord! Big Grin Angel

Now if I could get one of my "mistakes" to turn into good fortune!  Yes Nod

I am looking to keep the good luck streak for Pennsylvania residents going strong with tomorrow's Powerball drawing ....... Patriot"Green with Money" - dpoly1, 1/27/2012 Disney

1 percent is good!

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Oooooooooooops, the picture of my new car is bigger than I thougt it would be Blush

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Jan 25, 2012

God Bless Napolean Elvord! Big Grin Angel

Now if I could get one of my "mistakes" to turn into good fortune!  Yes Nod

I am looking to keep the good luck streak for Pennsylvania residents going strong with tomorrow's Powerball drawing ....... Patriot"Green with Money" - dpoly1, 1/27/2012 Disney

1 percent is good!

Powerball is TONIGHT,not tomorrow night.Good luck,anyway.

martingorgeous's avatarmartingorgeous

God bless, Napolean. Now he can pay for his kidney transplant, and return to sunny Texas. Sun Smiley

And live happily ever after.

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by Cletu$2 on Jan 25, 2012

Powerball is TONIGHT,not tomorrow night.Good luck,anyway.

But I cannot claim it until tomorrow Sun Smiley

Thanks anywho ......................

.......... and then I can proceed to claim more sunshine than we get here in Pennsylvania ................

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by JAP69 on Jan 24, 2012

"The first thing they asked me was, 'Did you make up the ticket?'"

Just what does that mean? They think he printed it up himself ?

I get mental block at times But I can not figure out that statement.

Yeah....... he should have said TOP COP from Iowa lottery security Steve Bogle made it up for him,......as a  professional courtesy of course.  Patriot

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Jan 25, 2012

Yeah....... he should have said TOP COP from Iowa lottery security Steve Bogle made it up for him,......as a  professional courtesy of course.  Patriot

ROTFLOLing  Dance

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

The article reads:  "So Elvord, who said he'll turn "60 in a couple years," took his ticket to the Wisconsin Lottery office to see if he was the winner. "The first thing they asked me was, 'Did you make up the ticket?'"

Hum, I wonder if any visiting lottery ticket holder has ever answered "yes" to this BOLD question from a  Wisconsin Lottery Headquarters office personnel member? 

Also, I wonder what happens if the answer received is "Yes." [Does the forgerer get a pat on the head, and perhaps a compliment, if their home-grown lottery ticket looks pleasing to the eyes?]

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Congratulation Mr. Elvord........Hurray!

ILLotteryX

Wow! More power to him!

peppy007

man I would have loved for his answer to be, "yes I made this ticket up. I wanted to see if it'll work so that I can make more winning tickets"

lejardin's avatarlejardin

I am happy for Mr. Elvord.

But I have to say, that is one beautiful Bentley you chose for YOUR win! What model is that?  No wins for the Powerball last nite.

dk1421's avatardk1421

I'm happy for him, but my question is why did he go to the lottery commission to get the ticket checked? Why not where he bought it since he "didn't know" whether he was a winner or not. Just a bit weird, but not Iowa weird.

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by dk1421 on Jan 27, 2012

I'm happy for him, but my question is why did he go to the lottery commission to get the ticket checked? Why not where he bought it since he "didn't know" whether he was a winner or not. Just a bit weird, but not Iowa weird.

He was probably pretty sure he had the winner but didn't want to take a chance on letting some sleazy clerk try to rip him off.

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Jan 27, 2012

He was probably pretty sure he had the winner but didn't want to take a chance on letting some sleazy clerk try to rip him off.

Just in my neck of the woods, there are probably a dozen or so sleazy   Bat clerks that I would never consider handing my ticket to for any reason.

Iesha Kelly

Quote: Originally posted by JAP69 on Jan 24, 2012

"The first thing they asked me was, 'Did you make up the ticket?'"

Just what does that mean? They think he printed it up himself ?

I get mental block at times But I can not figure out that statement.

I agree.  That was a rude question.  It also doesn't make sense.  There are more professional ways to ask that question.  Wonder why they asked it of him?

 

Also, I'm a little worried about this guy.  I'm hoping it's an act, but he doesn't sound like the sharpest tool in the shed, at all. I'm happy that the people of the store were looking out for him, but he's lucky that they were looking out for him.  A man like that is ripe for prime exploitation.  Again, I'm hoping this is an act.

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