Includes video report
By Todd Northrop
Friday morning the New Jersey Lottery revealed the sole winner of the mammoth $533 million Mega Millions jackpot won on March 30.
At an 11:00 am press conference (see video below), Richard Wahl, 47, stepped up to the microphone to tell the story of his life-changing lottery ticket purchase and to answer a few questions from the assembled press.
The prize is the largest lottery win in New Jersey history, and the fourth-highest Mega Millions jackpot ever.
The lucky winner stated that he will be taking the lump-sum cash option, which is worth $324 million all at once, instead of accepting the 30-payment annuity over 29 years that would deliver the full $533 million.
After initial tax withholdings, Wuhl will take home $220.7 million, according to the New Jersey Lottery.
"We're a humble family and we're going to keep our roots," Wahl told reporters Friday.
The winner said he was purposely appearing at the news conference without his wife and children so that he could protect their privacy. Several times he declined to answer questions regarding his family.
He did however say that his wife was from Mexico and he will be helping unspecified people from her home country.
Wahl, a production manager at a northern New Jersey food services facility, said he doesn't usually play Mega Millions but decided to buy a ticket after a co-worker convinced him they could retire early if he won.
And his lucky numbers? He just selected easy pick (in New Jersey called a "Quick Pick") and the numbers were completely random. "That's why we believe it's God's plan," he said.
"It's not only life-changing money for me, but It want it to be life-changing money for others: family, friends and people in need," said Wahl.
New Jersey Lottery officials quickly called a news conference for their superstar at Lottery Headquarters Friday a day after he came forward. Wahl waited two weeks before claiming his windfall.
Wahl was joined Friday by New Jersey Lottery Acting Executive Director John M. White, and Acting State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. He was also accompanied by his financial advisers, who remained off-camera.
Lottery officials presented a $30,000 bonus check to the Lukoil mini-mart in Riverdale on April 2 where the winning ticket was sold.
The owner of the store, Ameer Krass, said he had been able to identify Wahl by reviewing surveillance footage. But he said he didn't try to contact the lucky ticket holder. He also urged anyone who might know him to give the winner "the space they deserve."
However Wahl threw doubt on that story, as he said he entered the store during the media crush and even spoke with the clerk who sold him the winning ticket — and it was questionable whether or not the clerk recognized him.
Wahl, who moved to New Jersey from Michigan, said his dream is to rebuild a 1963 Corvette and also hopes to do charity work with his money.
An analysis by local media found that the biggest Mega Millions winners usually take about 12 days to come forward. Wall took an extra two days. Lottery officials say it's not unusual for winners to wait even longer.
Daniel Mahler, a certified public accountant with Gisler & Mahler in Bloomingdale, said the winner is going to have to get used to saying, "no."
"This guy has to watch himself," he said of New Jersey's big winner. "Everybody's going to come after him. Everybody looks for a handout."
Unlike some other states winners don't have the option to remain anonymous in New Jersey, lottery officials said. They are also required to participate in a mandatory news conference.
New Jersey's only other appearance on the top-10 Mega Millions winnings list was in 2007 when a winner from the state shared a $390 million jackpot with Georgia, according to the Mega Millions website. That is now the eighth-highest win in the game's history.
New Jersey was the seventh state to join the consortium almost three years after the game began in the summer of 1996 as the Big Game. Today, 44 states participate along with Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
VIDEO: Watch the press conference
He had a Ticket, and He Won!
Good Luck with Your new found Wealth!
Can we make it three feel good stories in one day?
Was going to watch the video, but it is LONG.
Congratulations Mr. Wahl.
Richard,congrats to you and your family. Staying humble is an admirable asset to have in ones repertoire, especially after this life changing event. Best of luck to you on the rebuild of that 63 Vette.
This is brilliant. I didn't really read the whole story, however, this guy is awesome. He doesn't want to announce his family. Well then good for him. I hope the answers to some just answered some questions.
AWESOME!!!!
Congratulations Mr Wahl. It seems to me, that Ameer is attempting to extend his 15 secs of fame. Just shut the ...P!
Smart guy and loved the fact that he went back into the store to test the phony story of the store owner. And better yet, publicly called him out. Lol
Maybe the LP body of expertise is rubbing off on new winners.
NJ + Corvette. If this were an anonymous claimant I would have sworn the chief won this JP!
Must be nice!!
Mr. Richard Wahl, a devoted family man and a believer in God. This is close to being beginner's luck. He felt like he would win.
The majority of winners choose quick picks. As he did.
It appears that he will listen to his financial advisers. Smart move.
He is now retired at the age of 46! WOW.
He is protecting his family.
Wow, what a feel good story. Just shows that you never know if or when you might win.
Congrats to Richard Wahl and Family!
real smart move to come forward on a friday. this will disappear from the news cycle by monday. a smarter move which should be utilized by anyone who fears publicity would be to do it on friday afternoon before a holiday weekend thus guaranteeing that most will have forgotten about by tuesday.,
And another Quick Pick wins big...
LOL, Artist77, both you and this huge Mega Millions jackpot winner are confusing the one who watched the store video (the owner) with the poor emotionally drained person later working at the counter of the store during the long press visit for bonus ceremony and hang-around session (merely the clerk).
Anyhow, congratulations on your huge win Richard Wahl!
What a nice guy! Congratulations to him and best wishes to his corvette project! I think I would just buy one and just drive off inn the sunset
God's plan? It's down to probability & possibility, nothing to do with superstition. I'd have asked him why his god thought all the other players were unworthy.
Here we go...
How about be happy for the guy and stop questioning his beliefs.
When you win you can thank whomever you wish...
Talk about the news cycle on Friday. Especially this Friday, 4/13/2018. The day of the military strike against Syria by the U.S., Britain, and France.
There is no way that Richard Wahl will be headline news this weekend.
Again, congratulations to Richard for being lucky and intending to continue to play Lotto. He can now afford to play any game he wants and using any tactic.
Rexer90,l can understand your thinking,we all for the most part assume every winner is Christian. However Mr Wahl could be an Animist for all we know. Just wait till we get a Hindu jackpot winner, and then hearing him/ her thanking Lord Khrisna or Ganesh, who they believe is the * remover of obstacles.
.
Of course it will. People worry about the wrong things in our world today. Social media with the way it is. The news the way it is and you're absolutely right.
Then again I don't try to watch the news. One of the news stations here in Philadelphia, Fox29, is the worst of them. So much negative and so many facebook people it's disgusting.
Of course it will disappear.
The news media and social media is just ridiculous to look at. I wonder how many people deactivated their facebooks and others. Total waste of time of social media.
Did he really? Although that store owner wasn't allowed to say who it was. So, I am not sure where and what you read.
Looks like someone did not read the full story and admitted this fact earlier. Lol
Perfect answer.
Money changes people. From the winner to his/her family, friends, neighbors, strangers, charities, and businesses.
Like Mark Gardiner from Brighton, England reports, "The Green-Eyed Monster shows itself after a major win".
I wonder how Mavis Wonsicyk is doing. No news is good news.
I don't know of anyone who assumes a winner is Christian.
Since Christians are the majority here in the U.S. I can do the numbers and conclude that a winner is most likely a Christian. I am pleasantly surprised when I am wrong.
For example, I watch Amazon's "LUCKY". A one and a half hour video consisting of different winners. On February 16, 2006, A Power Ball ticket was purchased in Lincoln, Nebraska. The winners were a group of seven men and a woman who worked at a meat processing plant there. Quang V. Dao a refugee from Vietnam is profiled with his family. They are not Christian. Each winner received $15,000,000.00 after taxes.
Have you been a bigot for very long .....................
Let us get to the matter at hand tonight. Power Ball ATTH = $40,000,000.00 What will a Lottery Post winner do with such cash? As Mike Pace, a former Power Ball announcer said, "This is revolutionary in a winner's life". Are you ready? Were you born ready?
Tonight's PB amount does not compare with the ATTH= $200,000,000.00 cash that Richard won. Although I will not be complaining.
"ATTH"?
I guess I am a big city girl and know many people from various cultures and religions. So I don't make assumptions as to their personal beliefs.
dpoly1, "ATTH" is an acronym for After-Tax Take Home.
Specifically for those States that do not tax lottery winnings like California.
This ATTH uses the Lump Sum Cash amount, to begin with. I use USAMEGA to get that amount after 25% is paid to the IRS automatically. Then I subtract 12% for the IRS tax that will be paid by April 15, 2019.
This is another State-specific thing. Each State, County, City will have a tax bill.
The Highest rate in California is 13%. I save that because I live here in Fresno, CA in the Central Valley.
New York, New York residents pay State, County, and City. Maybe more?
music*
I've found that first impressions are usually 180 out.
Coin Toss,
The problem is that people do rely on first impressions to make general opinions of the new person. Then it is difficult to move back 180 degrees. Even when you are wrong.
TY!
I agree with both of you!
Congratulations to him to step forward and take the lump sum payment. Was the winning ticket a quick pick or was it an own pick?
It was a quick pick
QP’s work just as well as self picked numbers.
Great story but i hate seeing Lukoil get that money because the Russians are horrible at business. I know someone that had to deal with that company.
Quick Picks win 70% of the time while self-picked tickets win 30% of the time. Why?
Because more people play with Quick Picks. They are easy and fast to buy.
Wed's 4/18 Power Ball ATTH = $46,000,000.00 I will let you know how it feels to be a millionaire.
Saying " just as well " is a relative term Music. The win ratio is different because *many people who do choose their own numbers, are going for 'birthdays,anniversaries days etc." Whereas QP'S don't give a rats#! what you choose- you dealt the hand you dealt. In any event, it is boring not winning- anyone want to argue with that statement...anyone? Anyone?
Mr. Music:
I thought the percentages were closer to 50/50? The rare time I use a qp, I never win. The joy must be in the journey whether you win or not. I enjoy picking my own numbers and the math challenge. When I don't win a jp, I look at my numbers and spend a few minutes analyzing what I could have done differently. Not winning is a chance to fine tune your strategy. This is why I pick my own numbers. A positive attitude helps one to achieve. I never view it as a loss. But most people like those qps as you said.
Without knowing the percent of winners in either group, it's hard to argue either side.
So true rjoh.
Your assumption that I am a MR. is correct.
I googled, lottery quick pick versus self-pick
Two of their sites were helpful. I will now use LP Search function.
You are correct again when you say that it is not the destination that matters but the journey.
So what was the percentage comparison??? Your gender is in your profile, just fyi. I checked it when you messaged me a while back.
I agree with RJOh.
Calculating the comparisons is extremely difficult.
I will rely on common sense. Just as winners are most likely made in States that have the most buyers of tickets. Since most players choose quick picks the odds favor quick picks.
Enjoy this game of chance and WIN!
On the MM or PB site there used to be an entry on the FAQ page that stated 70% of winning tickets were QPs as were 70 % of ticket sales.
Thanks. Very interesting!
It was on PB's FAQ page. I think they took it off. I couldn't find a while back.
It's not there now.
"Progress"
Now that I think about it, I believe Chuck Strutt had written that. When he left, they probably deleted it.
But, I could be wrong.
DIfferent retailers I have talked to say it depends if they do get something or not. I never thought of that at all.
However, you don't know if the owner of that station did get anything.
Okay. I just read that area about the lottery winner. Why would the owner of the establishment do that?
Like seriously, you're dealing with something major. Unless there is something else going on and no one really knows behind the scenes. Maybe this owner has major stock in the company and trying to make himself look better which isn't the right thing to do.
I doubt that posters have mentioned that more than a few thousand times, so it's not surprising if it isn't common knowledge.
” Why would the Owner of the establishment do that?” To be blunt, because he is an idiot.
It is folks like him who do not understand that the winner or winners of either the MM or PB jackpots have 365 days to claim their prize. Not 2 weeks or 2 months, but a full year. The experience is similar to when you shopping at a departmental store, you can’t be more than 3 minutes there, when some salesman comes creeping up to you with those dreaded words” can l help you.” Hey, listen pal,if l need help, you will be the first to know, okay?
Ameer is doing the same thing, he is not minding his own business! That is just a fact!
Why wouldn't he?
I am not sure what you're rambling is about. Have you ever won anything in your lifetime?
Why wouldn’t he what?
As for your 2nd question” Have you won anything in your lifetime? Did you seriously mean Anything? Well short answer Yes l have won something in my lifetime thus far! I am not done yet either.
Why would the owner go to the media and state he knows the person when he didn't know the person?
Well you have won something. Just like some of the other members that claim one thing and everyone goes out of control and nuts because of how horrible some of the members are.
Seriously.
I'm with you Original Bey!
I was so hoping that it was the Chief.
Wow! what a magnificent win. Remember the Law of attraction is misinterpreted and misunderstood. almost all winners are surprised and never expected to win. If this LOA work almost all winners would say , hey i won through LOA. If you're not winning try something else, try games you don't like. i had better chance with play four rather than three. Its not the odds , you increase your luck by trying different things, being patient and not playing everyday, desperation would take longer. What they call bad luck will follow desperate greedy gamblers. If you do win out of desperation it will go like water flows from a cup.Bottom line no one wins everyday so why play everyday, common sense. play when you feel lucky and i bet you wont win ever time you feel lucky so imagine playing everyday. some times i don't play for weeks. savings compare to daily players is a win. Let go and you might win something faster. If your happy with or without , you got a winning hand. If you want some good advice msg me. i will tell you things you will not like to know about how to win faster, or slower with higher winnings.