Biggest jackpot winners---Pedro Quezada just won $338 million. It’s the ultimate fantasy: Win millions and live happily ever after. Welcome to the 1%
Pedro Quezada of Passaic, N.J., is the nation’s newest multimillionaire, after winning the $338.3 million Powerball jackpot. Quezada, 44, who lives with his wife and five children in an apartment facing a highway, says he bought the winning ticket and is “very happy.” “I’m going to help a lot of people, whatever they need,” he said, according to the New York Daily News.
Railroad engineer Donald Lawson
The father of two said he would be putting his daughters through college, taking care of his family and then taking care of himself when he won the Powerball jackpot in August 2012. He later quit his job and told his immediate family they could retire. Last we heard, Lawson was hoping to get as lucky in love as he did with the lottery, and had an online dating profile searching for someone to spend his life — and his money — with. donald lawson lottery winner, donald lawson wins $337 million Powerball jackpot in August 2012,
Retired couple Merle and Patricia Butler
Merle and Patricia Butler of Red Bud, Ill., couldn’t stop laughing when they learned they had won part of the Mega Millions jackpot in April 2012 — in fact, Patricia giggled for four hours. The retired couple told reporters they were planning on doing some investing with the winnings and said a vacation might be in the works. Merle and Patricia Butler lottery winners, Merle and Patricia Butler win $110.5 million after federal and state taxes were deducted.,
81-year-old Louise White
After winning the Powerball jackpot in March 2012, Louise White of Newport, R.I., kept the winning ticket in her Bible, which she then slept with until she could get to a bank and put it in safe deposit box. The funds went into the “Rainbow Sherbert Trust,” named after the (misspelled) dessert she purchased when she bought the lottery ticket. louise white lottery winner, louise white wins $336 million Powerball jackpot in March 2012,
Bank customer service rep Holly Lahti
Customer service representative Holly Lahti disconnected her phone and left her hometown in this Western state shortly after claiming her prize in 2011. Media reports said her estranged husband, Josh, was after half of her winnings. lahti wins $190 million share of a Mega Millions jackpot + $80 million after taxes,
Real-estate agent Jim McCullar
For Jim McCullar, a small-town real-estate agent from Ephrata, Wash., the second time was the charm: He and his wife of 41 years had also won at least $10,000 playing the Oregon lottery. That said, McCullar planned to make his 2011 Mega Millions winnings his last. “What this means to me is not a jet and traveling all over the world,” he said. “What this means to me is that the legacy is going to go generation after generation after generation. My kids, my grandkids, my great-grandkids and their kids will never have to worry.” jim mccullar lottery winner, jim mccullar wins $190 million share of a Mega Millions jackpot in 2011,
Hamburger lover James ‘Jimmy’ Groves
An employee of Madison Square Garden in New York City, James “Jimmy” Groves (where is he from?) showed up to collect his giant check in style when he won the Mega Millions lottery in 2009, and told reporters that his first purchase would be a hamburger. After that, he planned to buy a home and a nice car and take a vacation. james groves gets 40 calls a morning from friends and family asking for cash, james groves lottery winner, james groves wins $105 million after taxes,
Iron worker Robert Harris
Georgia iron worker Robert Harris didn’t normally play the lottery, but he decided to give it a shot when the Mega Millions jackpot got big in February 2008. He decided to play using his grandchildren’s birthdays, but when he went to a store to buy the ticket, a storm knocked out the power and the lottery machine was down. How did he end up playing? The Saturday after winning, he called his boss to say he wouldn’t be in to work on Monday — or ever again. robert harris wins $275 million Mega Millions jackpot in February 2008, robert harris + brought the ticket form home and asked his wife to go down to the local convenience store to buy the ticket. robert harris wins $275 million mega millions jackpot in feb 2008,
Truck driver Ed Nabors
Ed Nabors, a truck driver from this Southern state, won the Mega Millions jackpot in 2007. At the time, it was the richest lottery prize in history. When asked how he would spend his winnings, Nabors told reporters he wanted to buy a home for his daughter, and “I’m going to do a lot of fishing.” ed nabors wins half of a $390 million Mega Millions jackpot + net $80 million ,
8 ConAgra plant workers in Nebraska
When eight processing plant workers found out they had a winning Powerball ticket in 2006, the jackpot was the largest prize ever for a single ticket at that time. Even better? Three of the winners were immigrants and planned to help their families in their home countries. How did some of the winners react? nebraska conagra plant workers win lottery, nebraska conagra plant workers + 5 went to work after winning, nebraska conagra plant workers win $365 million,
Millionaire Andrew “Jack” Whittaker
When Andrew “Jack” Whittaker of West Virginia won a Christmas night Powerball drawing in 2002, he was already worth about $17 million. He donated some of his new fortune, spent some and gambled some of it away. He was also apparently robbed on several occasions and has experienced multiple family tragedies since winning. andrew whittaker lottery winner, andrew whittaker wins $315 million in a Christmas night Powerball drawing in 2002,
20-year-old Erika Greene
Erika Green, 20, worked at a cellphone office when she won the Big Game jackpot in 2002. She arrived at the lottery office in style (how?) with her boyfriend and her mother, and indicated plans to buy a house. As for the rest, she said, “I’m going to invest it and spend it wisely. I’m not going to work, no. I’m going to invest and let the money work for me.” erika greene lottery winner, erika greene lottery winner collects winnings in limousine, erika greene lottery winner plans to buy car, erika greene wins one-third of a $325 million Big Game jackpot in April 2002,
Illinois brewer Joe Kainz
Owner of a successful brewing company in Illinois, Joe Kainz worked with his wife and children at the family business and was a regular lottery player when he won in May 2000. While he hoped to get a new roof, pay some bills and expand his company with the winnings, he told reporters that he and his wife didn’t plan to retire just yet. joe kainz wins half of a $363 million Big Game jackpot in May 2000,
Pool installer Larry Ross
After purchasing 98 tickets hoping for a winner — he put down a $100 bill for his $1.97 Polish sausage lunch, then took the change in lottery tickets — Larry Ross got his wish. After hearing he had won in 2000, the Shelby Township, Mich., man whisked his family from their modest four-bedroom ranch-style house to a nearby hotel in an effort to preserve their anonymity. He also hired lawyers and financial planners to protect the winnings and his family. The family wasn’t planning to make any major purchases for at least 90 days but was eyeing paying off the mortgage and buying a new home. Then there was the specialty car his wife had always wanted. larry ross wins half of a $363 million Big Game jackpot in May 2000, larry ross lottery winner,
Pedro Quezada of Passaic, N.J., is the nation’s newest multimillionaire, after winning the $338.3 million Powerball jackpot. Quezada, 44, who lives with his wife and five children in an apartment facing a highway, says he bought the winning ticket and is “very happy.” “I’m going to help a lot of people, whatever they need,” he said, according to the New York Daily News.
Railroad engineer Donald Lawson
The father of two said he would be putting his daughters through college, taking care of his family and then taking care of himself when he won the Powerball jackpot in August 2012. He later quit his job and told his immediate family they could retire. Last we heard, Lawson was hoping to get as lucky in love as he did with the lottery, and had an online dating profile searching for someone to spend his life — and his money — with. donald lawson lottery winner, donald lawson wins $337 million Powerball jackpot in August 2012,
Retired couple Merle and Patricia Butler
Merle and Patricia Butler of Red Bud, Ill., couldn’t stop laughing when they learned they had won part of the Mega Millions jackpot in April 2012 — in fact, Patricia giggled for four hours. The retired couple told reporters they were planning on doing some investing with the winnings and said a vacation might be in the works. Merle and Patricia Butler lottery winners, Merle and Patricia Butler win $110.5 million after federal and state taxes were deducted.,
81-year-old Louise White
After winning the Powerball jackpot in March 2012, Louise White of Newport, R.I., kept the winning ticket in her Bible, which she then slept with until she could get to a bank and put it in safe deposit box. The funds went into the “Rainbow Sherbert Trust,” named after the (misspelled) dessert she purchased when she bought the lottery ticket. louise white lottery winner, louise white wins $336 million Powerball jackpot in March 2012,
Bank customer service rep Holly Lahti
Customer service representative Holly Lahti disconnected her phone and left her hometown in this Western state shortly after claiming her prize in 2011. Media reports said her estranged husband, Josh, was after half of her winnings. lahti wins $190 million share of a Mega Millions jackpot + $80 million after taxes,
Real-estate agent Jim McCullar
For Jim McCullar, a small-town real-estate agent from Ephrata, Wash., the second time was the charm: He and his wife of 41 years had also won at least $10,000 playing the Oregon lottery. That said, McCullar planned to make his 2011 Mega Millions winnings his last. “What this means to me is not a jet and traveling all over the world,” he said. “What this means to me is that the legacy is going to go generation after generation after generation. My kids, my grandkids, my great-grandkids and their kids will never have to worry.” jim mccullar lottery winner, jim mccullar wins $190 million share of a Mega Millions jackpot in 2011,
Hamburger lover James ‘Jimmy’ Groves
An employee of Madison Square Garden in New York City, James “Jimmy” Groves (where is he from?) showed up to collect his giant check in style when he won the Mega Millions lottery in 2009, and told reporters that his first purchase would be a hamburger. After that, he planned to buy a home and a nice car and take a vacation. james groves gets 40 calls a morning from friends and family asking for cash, james groves lottery winner, james groves wins $105 million after taxes,
Iron worker Robert Harris
Georgia iron worker Robert Harris didn’t normally play the lottery, but he decided to give it a shot when the Mega Millions jackpot got big in February 2008. He decided to play using his grandchildren’s birthdays, but when he went to a store to buy the ticket, a storm knocked out the power and the lottery machine was down. How did he end up playing? The Saturday after winning, he called his boss to say he wouldn’t be in to work on Monday — or ever again. robert harris wins $275 million Mega Millions jackpot in February 2008, robert harris + brought the ticket form home and asked his wife to go down to the local convenience store to buy the ticket. robert harris wins $275 million mega millions jackpot in feb 2008,
Truck driver Ed Nabors
Ed Nabors, a truck driver from this Southern state, won the Mega Millions jackpot in 2007. At the time, it was the richest lottery prize in history. When asked how he would spend his winnings, Nabors told reporters he wanted to buy a home for his daughter, and “I’m going to do a lot of fishing.” ed nabors wins half of a $390 million Mega Millions jackpot + net $80 million ,
8 ConAgra plant workers in Nebraska
When eight processing plant workers found out they had a winning Powerball ticket in 2006, the jackpot was the largest prize ever for a single ticket at that time. Even better? Three of the winners were immigrants and planned to help their families in their home countries. How did some of the winners react? nebraska conagra plant workers win lottery, nebraska conagra plant workers + 5 went to work after winning, nebraska conagra plant workers win $365 million,
Millionaire Andrew “Jack” Whittaker
When Andrew “Jack” Whittaker of West Virginia won a Christmas night Powerball drawing in 2002, he was already worth about $17 million. He donated some of his new fortune, spent some and gambled some of it away. He was also apparently robbed on several occasions and has experienced multiple family tragedies since winning. andrew whittaker lottery winner, andrew whittaker wins $315 million in a Christmas night Powerball drawing in 2002,
20-year-old Erika Greene
Erika Green, 20, worked at a cellphone office when she won the Big Game jackpot in 2002. She arrived at the lottery office in style (how?) with her boyfriend and her mother, and indicated plans to buy a house. As for the rest, she said, “I’m going to invest it and spend it wisely. I’m not going to work, no. I’m going to invest and let the money work for me.” erika greene lottery winner, erika greene lottery winner collects winnings in limousine, erika greene lottery winner plans to buy car, erika greene wins one-third of a $325 million Big Game jackpot in April 2002,
Illinois brewer Joe Kainz
Owner of a successful brewing company in Illinois, Joe Kainz worked with his wife and children at the family business and was a regular lottery player when he won in May 2000. While he hoped to get a new roof, pay some bills and expand his company with the winnings, he told reporters that he and his wife didn’t plan to retire just yet. joe kainz wins half of a $363 million Big Game jackpot in May 2000,
Pool installer Larry Ross
After purchasing 98 tickets hoping for a winner — he put down a $100 bill for his $1.97 Polish sausage lunch, then took the change in lottery tickets — Larry Ross got his wish. After hearing he had won in 2000, the Shelby Township, Mich., man whisked his family from their modest four-bedroom ranch-style house to a nearby hotel in an effort to preserve their anonymity. He also hired lawyers and financial planners to protect the winnings and his family. The family wasn’t planning to make any major purchases for at least 90 days but was eyeing paying off the mortgage and buying a new home. Then there was the specialty car his wife had always wanted. larry ross wins half of a $363 million Big Game jackpot in May 2000, larry ross lottery winner,
