Who has the most tragic lottery story?Prev TopicNext Topic

• travelintrucker

  

  Greenville, SC
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  Dec 14, 2015, 11:39 pm

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  Urooj Khan - killed by cyanide poisoning the day after claiming $1 million lottery win.
  
  Amanda Clayton - won a million dollars and kept getting food stamps. Died of drug overdose.
  
  William "Bud" Post - won $16 million (technically estimated $11 million because he had to share the prize) Died penniless.
  
  David Lee Edwards - Ex-con won $27 million in Powerball. Spent most on drugs. Died penniless.
  
  Abraham Shakespeare - won $13 million in Florida Lotto. Spent most of it in 2 years. Killed for last $3 million.
  
  Jack Whittaker - a wealthy businessman won $314+ million. Robbed multiple times, divorced, sued, Lost his granddaughter to drugs, and had a run in with the law. Lucky SOB wins another $10K in the lottery.

   

  I'm voting for Urooj Khan. He didn't even get to enjoy his win. If you have another please add it in your reply.

  May the balls bounce in your favor!
  
• Coin Toss

  

  Zeta Reticuli Star System
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  Dec 15, 2015, 12:10 am

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  I voted Abraham Shakespeare because he was killed by somebody he trusted.

  The others have sad stories, too, but they brought it on themselves, especially David Lee Edwards.

  Those who run the lotteries love it when players look for consistency in something that's designed not to have any. So many systems, so many theories, so few jackpot winners. 

  

  There is one and only one 'proven' system, and that is to book the action. No matter the game, let the players pick their own losers.
• HoLeeKau

  

  Idaho
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  Dec 15, 2015, 1:29 pm

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  Is stupidity tragic?  Hmmm, maybe it is but I say no.  So I voted for Shakespear also.

  I just saw his story on an old true crime show rerun.  Maybe it was Snapped.  They opened with an interview with Dee Dee after she was convicted, but they didn't tell the audience when the interview was.  She came across as a caring, sincere, helpful person.  That woman had everybody fooled.  Until I saw all the police interviews and how her story kept changing I'd never have guessed she was a scamming liar.  Sociopath, I would guess. 

  It was extra sad, because Shakespear had loaned out about 9 million of his money and only one person was repaying him -- I think it was his cousin who was making monthly payments.  They said he only had about $1.3 million left when he realized he needed to change what he was doing or end up dying broke.  It was because he was trying to change that he allowed Dee Dee into his life, and his attempt to become responsible with his money ended up getting him killed. 

  That is true tragedy in my eyes.
• SergeM

  

  Economy class
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  Dec 15, 2015, 2:29 pm

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  There was somebody posting for Powerball in a forum competition. He got them all right and did not play in real. Do you know worse than that?

  
• dr65

  

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  Dec 15, 2015, 4:25 pm

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  Abraham must've had very bad days and nights. I think he was generous and naive but

  even with a compassionate, giving nature he had to have times where he wished he could

  say no and make everyone who wanted money go away. I voted for him.

  369 1009 1109 1099 110/011/101 
• DELotteryPlyr

  

  Maryland
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  Dec 15, 2015, 4:54 pm

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  In response to SergeM

  Quote: Originally posted by SergeM on Dec 15, 2015

  There was somebody posting for Powerball in a forum competition. He got them all right and did not play in real. Do you know worse than that?

  Yea that REALLY SUCKS!! How much was the jackpot and did anyone else hit (would he have had to share the jackpot)?
• travelintrucker

  

  Greenville, SC
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  Dec 15, 2015, 7:26 pm

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  Yeah, that sucks! You can't paper play the lottery. However, I'd say the odds are in their favor to win again.

  May the balls bounce in your favor!
  
• music*

  

  Fresno, California
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  Dec 15, 2015, 8:40 pm

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   with dr65 and Holikau.   Abraham Shakespeare was robbed and cheated out of a good education.

   When he was young there should have been someone to care for him and his future. 

   There is plenty of blame to go around. 

   He is not the only lottery winner with a bad education. Sure, the middle class support the lottery but it is cases like Abraham Lee Shakespeare that puts the spot light on our country. We should all be ashamed that he slipped through the cracks and was murdered too early in life.

   His murderer, Dee Dee Moore was slapped on her wrists for previous violations of the law. I am not excusing her part in this tragedy. I am happy that she was judged by twelve and got what she deserved. Life in prison in Florida.

   Abe showed us all that it is not easy to say NO to beggars. Especially when you live by the Good Samaritans' principle.

   May he rest in peace.

   "We are all in this together!" 
• travelintrucker

  

  Greenville, SC
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  Dec 16, 2015, 12:02 am

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  I didn't know about Shakespeare's early life.

  May the balls bounce in your favor!
  
• mikeintexas

  

  Texas Panhandle
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  Dec 16, 2015, 12:16 am

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  I voted "Other".  For me, Billie Bob Harrell Jr. from Texas  is the most tragic. A former preacher, he won $31 million in June of '97. He bought a small ranch, several homes and cars for family members and made large contributions to his church. If anyone needed help, he was there to help but eventually became overwhelmed by all the requests and he found his life spiraling out of control and due to the stress, his marriage unravelled. He killed himself not but 20 months after winning the lottery.
  
  I've done a lot of reading on the pitfalls of winning the lottery and it's clear to me the biggest danger isn't from strangers, family members or con artists after their money, but rather from the winner's own self and bad habits.   I think all of these tragedies could have been avoided,  but that's with the wisdom of 20-20 hindsight. 

  If I should ever be so lucky to win, I think I can protect myself from the strangers and those who want to bilk me out of my money and I know what I would do in regards to my family.  If it was a "small" JP of "only" a few million, I'd tell them that had to last me the rest of my life and couldn't afford to give it away.  If it was a large one (such as is the current PB) I'd give them ea. yearly gifts of $14k, explaining to them that amount was the max. tax-free sum allowable and that I had already paid $45 million in taxes and didn't want to pay any more than absolutely necessary.  I'd tell them that those gifts would probably continue as long as I could afford it or until I died, then my estate would go to various charities or my foundation....even if it wasn't ALL going there and some or most WAS going to them.  I call that "white lie insurance" because lottery winners have much more to fear from family than they do strangers.   I love most of my family and I'm sure they love me, but large sums of money sometimes warps people's thinking.   I'd also take the decision to "pull the plug" out of their hands, too, leaving specific instructions w/ my lawyer on what to do if that's ever the case.

  Epstein didn't kill himself.
• savagegoose

  

  adelaide sa
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  Dec 16, 2015, 6:57 am

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  shakes spear has to be my vote, poor sap. he was rich,  he didnt need people to like him. closely followed by the poisoned guy,  even your family is dangerous! im beginning to think , just buy a reasonable car , and pretend to go to work every day, and just spend the time at the track, or what ever floats my boat.

  " Still swinging, still missing "
  2014 = -1016; 2015= -1409; 2016  = -1171; 2017 = -1257 ; 2018 = - 1380 =  TOT =  - 6233

  keno historic = -2291 ; 2015= -603; 2016= -424; 2017 =-427; 2018= -223   TOT = -3968

  :
• music*

  

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  Dec 16, 2015, 10:23 am

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    mikeintexas,  As a winner my own bad habits and lack of self-control would turn my life up side down and hellish. I would find out real quick how the two letter word "NO" worked on others as well as myself.

   The Federal Reserve will announce today that they will raise Interest rates. That is good news for us who plan on investing in CDARS. Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service.  Just look up CDARS.com for further info.

   Billie Bob Harrell Jr.'s last words to his Financial Planner was,"Winning the Lottery was the worst thing that has ever happened to me."

   There are online news articles about Billie Bob written by other Texans.

   "We are all in this together!" 
• music*

  

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  Dec 16, 2015, 10:31 am

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  travelintrucker, I have read a paperback book titled,"UNLUCKY NUMBERS" written by Deborah Mathis with Gregory Todd Smith. I am glad that I purchased it.

   Abraham Shakespeare could have moved, purchased tutors, asked for counseling from many sources and the wonders that should have been his was lost.

   When I win I will learn from winners past mistakes.

   "We are all in this together!" 
• music*

  

  Fresno, California
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  Dec 16, 2015, 10:41 am

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   Here is a quote from Andrew Jackson "Jack" Whittaker," If I had to do it all over again I would have been more secluded about it." 

  "Once you start giving it away there is no stopping it. Everyone has their hands out and I mean everyone."

   "Relations are the worst. They never pay back loans and they even file bankruptcy."

   Stick with the $14,000.00 tax rule. I hope that it is raised to $15,000.00 in the New Year.

   "We are all in this together!" 
• travelintrucker

  

  Greenville, SC
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  Dec 16, 2015, 12:35 pm

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  I completely forgot about him and I own a copy of "Curse of the Lottery." What puzzles me about him and other winners like him is, you have all the money in the world. Why don't you just leave and go some place where most people don't know you. I don't think he should have killed himself. However, I guess you're driven to that point when you lose what's most precious to you. If my memory serves me correctly, according to "COTL", he started screwing around with a woman working at a pharmacy.

  May the balls bounce in your favor!