Half of $174.4 Million Jackpot Still Unclaimed
Posted by Media Outrage on May 5th, 2009
There were two winning tickets to Pennsylvania’s $174.4 million Powerball Jackpot, back on Feb. 8. One person has already come forward to claim their half of it, but the other mysterious winner has yet to surface and claim their winnings. What?! In a recession?!
Via Philly:
If it was me, I’d be in a rush to get my money.
It’s more than $46 million in cash.
Or $87 million-plus spread out in 30 yearly payments.
Either way, no time like as soon as possible for getting rich.
Am I right?
Sure, you take your time to find a good lawyer or financial adviser who can help you avoid some big tax or estate mistake. Or set up the best way to share the loot, out of the goodness of your heart.
Which makes one wonder: What’s with whoever won half of a $174.4 million Powerball jackpot on Feb. 28?
Somebody bought the ticket at Plymouth Meeting Mall, according to state lottery officials.
But, 69 days later, still no word.
The holder of the other winning ticket, purchased at Ben Bow’s package store in Dover, Del., came forward in mid-April, choosing to remain anonymous.
This is the longest wait ever for anyone who won a Powerball jackpot in Pennsylvania.
Even if winners do have a year to stake a claim.
Previous record-holder Edward Varley of Hatfield got his ceremonial check for $30.8 million 66 days after winning in 2002.
In October, 22 Philadelphia postal workers needed just three days to reveal they would split $10.2 million in cash.
So what happened this time? Some theories – with totally unscientific odds.
The dog/hamster/ferret ate the ticket. A longer shot than Mine That Bird winning the Kentucky Derby: 1 in 25,000.
The ticket got ruined in the wash. Now, this wasn’t some Daily Number, worth a few hundred bucks. This was a gigantic jackpot. Not one to just jam into your pants: 1 in 10,000.
House fire or car accident. Great luck, then misfortune? Ticket – or owner – gone? Let’s hope fate’s not that cruel. 1 in 1 million.
Fell out of sock while jogging. Guy in sweats buys ticket, tucks it in sock and jogs home from mall. Ticket falls out. Wait, somebody else would find it and win, right? 1 in 1 billion.
The winner still doesn’t know. Maybe he or she just hasn’t checked the ticket yet. Or it’s still buried in that wallet or purse. Ahem: The winning numbers were 3, 16, 20, 42 and 58, with a Powerball of 7! Maybe 1 in 20.
The winner can’t find a lawyer. 1 in 100 million.
The winner is waiting for the divorce. Now, this sounds plausible. The problem is, wouldn’t the spouse find out later, and take the winner right back into court? Yessiree. But what if it’s set up as some anonymous trust? Or in a friend or lover’s name? Hmm … The plot thickens. 1 in 350.
The winner is a wanted felon. Can’t come forward, see? And it takes lots of time to find the “right” lawyer, who’ll set up the perfect deal. Lots of felons around. 1 in 99.
The winner was abducted by aliens. OK, but if there are super-intelligent creatures capable of faster-than-light travel, wouldn’t they be smart enough to steal and cash the ticket? 1 in infinity and beyond.
The winner wants to share with all sorts of family members. Cousin Jenny gets 2 percent, Nephew Nigel 3 percent, Uncle Orville 6 percent – but Step-Mother Morticia wants her half-wit half-kids included, too! The haggling takes time to smooth out. 1 in 4,123.5.
The winner is waiting for next year, to save on taxes. Cut off your nose to spite Uncle Sam’s face? 1 in 9,000.
The winner doesn’t want the money. Defy the Devil’s temptation? Then why buy a ticket? 1 in 100 bazillion.
None (or some) of the above. OK, maybe the winner forgot about the ticket for a few weeks, then took time talking with family and finding the right advisers. No big deal, just life. Odds: 98 out of 100.
Mediaoutrage- There’s no way in heck, that we wouldn’t have made it up there THAT SAME DAY! If we had to car jack someone and then cash that check and find that person we jacked and buy them a newer car, that’s what would have happened.
May 5th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
The winner is in jail, after learning of his/her winnings they got into a fight with the person they shared the ticket with. He shot her in the head then sat the whole house on fire to hide his misdeed. He got caught smellin like gas. Charged with her murder,did not tell the real reason he killed her and is not serving life in jail…. Since he has no family and will never be able to enjoy the money he wiped his ass with the ticket and flushed it down the toliet.
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May 5th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
lmao @ YISI!
The winner has to be like a 105 years old and doesn’t even remember sending lil Ray Ray, Jr. to the store to buy a ticket and then stuck the ticket in a bible and then put the bible in the closet and then died and then the family cleaned out the house and no one bothered to look inside the bible…they just packed the bible away in a box that’s marked…GRANNY”S THINGS and off to goodwill it went!
Other than that…I can’t come up with another reason!
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May 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
LOL @ ya’ll comments
!!
Damn…wouldn’t it be fucked up if they threw the ticket away by accident
!!!
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May 5th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
How about the winner must be dead!!!
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May 5th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
i agree with ms. e, death is the only thing that could someone away
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May 5th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Man nothing could keep from cashing in that ticket!!!!
CASH OPTION PLEASE
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May 5th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
wow, that is insane
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May 5th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
LMAO @ Beach Chick.. I like your story telling
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May 5th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I’m headed to PA to help this poor soul! What the hell he/she waiting on?!!
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