Mary Eisenband finds it fun to buy lottery tickets.
The 82-year-old Union, New Jersey, woman never found it more enjoyable than when she bought a scratch-off lottery ticket in North Carolina in November while en route to Georgia to visit family.
Eisenband turned out to be the lucky winner of that state's "$500 a Week for Life" game, North Carolina lottery officials announced Monday.
Eisenband took home a check for $244,968 after state and federal taxes were withheld because she chose the lump sum payout. Eisenband could have either collected a prize worth $26,000 a year for life or a one-time pre-tax amount of $354,000, lottery officials said.
"This is more money than I have ever seen in my entire life," Eisenband told lottery officials Monday when she claimed her winnings. "I play the lottery these days because it's fun for me. I play everywhere I go and I enjoy it. To win like this feels so wonderful. I still don't believe it."
Eisenband told lottery officials she immigrated to New Jersey from Poland in 1963 and opened a sandwich shop.
She plans to use her windfall to take a vacation. "I might go to Florida and stay in a fancy hotel, " she said. "And the rest I'll share with my family and put in the bank."
The ticket was purchased at Pilot Travel Center on state route 48 in Pleasant Hill, N.C, just off Interstate 95.
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bless her heart. Sounds like she deserves every penny. I'm happy for her!
Agreed 100% !!!
Congrats to Mary! She seems like a nice lady. I'm happy to hear stories like this unlike the other one recently. It's like "Tale of Two Winners."
I was thinking the same thing. Nice to hear a positive story for a change
Congrats to this lady. May she have good health and many many more years to enjoy her winnings.
Congratulations Mary- these eighty somethings seem to have the inside track to winning.
First Gloria- and now Mary.
Enjoy your new found wealth sweetheart.
Aaahhhh, what a refreshing feeling to read this. A breathe of fresh air and glimmer of hope offered by her simple, everyday kinda story. Bless your heart Mary. Go take that vacation, get pampered, try some new fancy cuisines, relax, put your foot up and watch the sun set from your 'fancy' hotel's balcony!!! And when its time to leave, if you feel like staying a few more days...please do. Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!
Good news is always fun to read.
Way to go, Mary!
What luck. Those Flying Js are huge and there's plenty of stations to buy tickets. I'd like to know how they figure out lump sums on life tickets.
Congratulations Mary! Enjoy your vacation and the "fancy hotel"!! Make sure you order lots of room service.
Congrats to Mary! It's all about a dollar and a dream. Well, it looks like Mary got hers.
At her age it was smart to take the lump sum.Congratulations on a nice fat win!
i wonder if they even asked or if they hoped she wouldn't take the lump sum. certainly it was the wrong ticket for her to buy, but it worked out. i'm sure she didn't realize that at her age a "lucky for life" type ticket may not have been the best choice. but it worked out. 500.00 a week x 52=26k before taxes a year x 10 yrs if she's lucky would have been 260k. hmm she made the right choice.
No, faber98. Usually, the rules read that you may choose a benefactor to continue those "for life" payments ... it's not ONLY for the winner's life!
When I am out of town I usually buy draw games with as much advanced play as possible. Right now I have Sweet Millions ticket that is valid for a few more games. Mary Eisenband's way payed off for her. I hope my way pays off for me too.
What a nice lady, God Bless her.
Yes she does, but i wonder why she did'nt let her son claim it since he could enjoy it a lot longer.
The article says she purchased ticket at a Pilot Travel Center, not a Flying J. Yes Pilots are everywhere along interstate routes. Flying J...not so much. And they are not one and the same. I used to drive Over-the-road.
I think they use a multiplier of 20 or 30 to base lump sum payment. This is no different from the online games. The only difference is the scratch off games emphasize the monthly income amount whereas the jackpot games highlight the total annuitized amount.
Congrats Mary, nice job
Mary Eisenband finds it fun to buy lottery tickets.
spend wisely
Congrats Mrs Mary Eisenband
ps: watch out for golfer1960 he lives there to
Another little old lady winning a jackpot LOL, this time they come from outta state
did it in this case. if it did why did she take the lump sum instead of choosing a benefactor. certainly if she has a grandchild who would be no older than late 30's would have to be irate about this. i may research it but i doubt if she could have done it or she would have, wouldn't you if you were 82.
Sort of. The "for life" games have a minimum payout; it is usually in the neighborhood of 20-30 years of payments, the same (or similar to) what the lump sum is, if that's offered. The balance of the minimum payout is what you can pass on in the event of your death. I don't know if any of these games have been around long enough for this to happen, but I believe that if you have already received the minimum payout by the time you die, the payments stop; your estate gets nothing more.
In Tennessee, the Dragon Lady sticks swords through your coffin to make sure you're dead.
She says it's just a formality.
I believe youre right media. I think it was a 20 year payout on all the for life games here in NC. I dont think anyone took those payments though LOL, they all took the cash out right
How exciting!!!! Nice to live in one state and purchase a ticket in another and actually win!!!! Hope she enjoys her money.
of course there's a catch to those "for life" wins. you'd have to read the fine print in any states lottery rules on these. really hope she enjoys it, but at 82 what can you really do but watch your younger relatives enjoy it more if she doles it out. so in retrospect she was properly advised to take the lump sum.
"I play the lottery these days because it's fun for me. I play everywhere I go and I enjoy it. To win like this feels so wonderful. I still don't believe it."
-We truly should enjoy playing the lottery. In this case we are having fun while having the chance to change our life forever. Think of it as a game not a risk.
Most games that are "for life" are structured annuity payments that guarantee the winner cannot outlive the payments, but the payments are guaranteed for 20 years (or whatever term is stated) So let's say it's guaranteed for 20 years. If you are 60 and die at 70, the payments continue to your estate for another 10. If you die at 81, then nobody inherits a thing, but if you live to 100, you still are getting payments. I'm pretty sure the Lottery works the same way.
I'm not familiar with the NC games, but I'm guessing if you look up this one, it will have a small asterisk next to "For Life" and a footnote stating "20 years guaranteed."
One thing I like is that this instant scratch-off game costs only $1.