January 12, 2018

"I'm only 20, but I hope to use it to pursue a variety of passions, help my family and do some good for humanity."

Said Shane Missler, who just won a $451 million lottery jackpot.
His lawyer Walt Blenner said Missler purchased the winning ticket at a 7-Eleven. He used the proceeds from a winning scratch-off ticket to buy five Mega Millions quick pick tickets.

33 comments:

Achilles said...

The lottery is a tax on poor people. The government drove the mafia out of business because they were competition, not because they disagreed with how they treated people.

heyboom said...

The first thing he should do is pursue a quick exit from Florida and a witness relocation style new life.

rhhardin said...

He should have used the millions to buy more lottery tickets.

rhhardin said...

Your odds are better with out-of-the-money futures. Hillary could explain it.

AlbertAnonymous said...

good god. a tax on poor people? give it a rest.

Ann Althouse said...

"He should have used the millions to buy more lottery tickets."

Yeah, that's what I thought. Shouldn't argue with success. He should have bought 451 million more lottery tickets.

rhhardin said...

I think one of the prizes in the Ohio lottery is another lottery ticket.

AlbertAnonymous said...

more like 225 million lottery tickets after tax. Hope the lawyer is a tax guy and not some PR moron.

rhhardin said...

It Could Happen to You (1994) was good. A policeman lacks tip money and instead offers a half interest in a lottery ticket to a waitress.

rhhardin said...

A dollar a year for 445 million years. Polish lottery.

Bay Area Guy said...

I've never bought a lottery ticket. My grandpa from New York used to buy 'em, but he was a night janitor at an Army base and never made much dough. I just don't dream about winning unearned millions. Maybe, I'm privileged or fortunate or whatever, but I'm kinda proud of the real (not dream) earnings I've made. Nothing fancy, nothing exhorbitant, just right smack in the professional middle class level.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

I always thought the expression was: a tax on stupid people.

Freeman Hunt said...

Used scratch off money to buy lottery tickets? If I were a betting (wo)man, I'd put the odds on the money lasting no longer than the dollars he won that day from the scratch off.

Rob said...

@heyboom A quick exit from Florida? With no state income tax, Florida's exactly the right place for him to be.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

There was a book out a few years ago "Best Case Scenarios" somewhat satirical, but had what appeared to be some real, useful, advice about what to do if you won the lottery. To late for this guy to start with step one, which was something like set up a trust, assign the ticket to the trust and redeem in the name of the trust so you keep your anonymity. Some other steps about keeping from being ruined by money and bad financial advice, but that was the big one. Once your name is out there, you're a target for every skeevy "old friend", distant cousin and smarmy huckster in the world..

Herb said...

Of course if he won this in Illinois, he would be out of luck because they aren't paying off lottery winners.

heyboom said...

@Rob

I was thinking about this poor guy:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/abraham-shakespeare-31m-florida-lottery-winner-found-dead-9-months-disappearing-article-1.164855

readering said...

In 50 years he should run for president.

madAsHell said...

I'd put the odds on the money lasting no longer than the dollars he won that day from the scratch off.

It's uncanny, but winning the lottery does not provide financial security. They all end up broke, and many in debt.

Chris Fountain said...

He may be Florida Man now, but he's a Mainer by birth and upbringing, so he'll be fine.
Mainer.

Big Mike said...

@Chris, you mean Mainiac?

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

I have a relative who won the NY state lottery and was stripping for a living within three years. She now lives in an apartment with her husband and works a desk job.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Years ago,when I was sitting in the dentist's waiting room and there was nothing to read but
Car and Driver,I came across a story about a guy who won a million in the Hawiaan state lottery. After taxes,he was left with $350,000(!) He spent all of it on a baby blue Rolls convertible. He stocked shelves at a grocery store.
The story ended with him asking his girlfriend for money so he could buy gas for his beautiful new car.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

If I won the big big money I would hire my sister the accountant as my financial manager and start founding old-fashioned orphanages/children's homes. My residential facilities would be an alternative to the home-based foster care system and kids would live in them until such point as they aged out or they were adopted. They would have the best on-site support staff (medical, educational, therapeutic, spiritual, legal) that money could buy and would be just flat out awesome. Cozy private rooms, fun playgrounds, pets to care for, trees to climb, gardens to learn to tend, chapel services ~ everything we would need to help the kids understand that they are worthy of giving and receiving love, care and nurture. Somewhat inspired by Plumfield in Little Men.

Oh, and I would put Mr. Pants through veterinary school so he could realize his dream of running a sliding scale feline clinic.

tcrosse said...

No lottery tickets in Nevada. Whenever the payout gets high lots of folks from Las Vegas drive to the California or Arizona border, where convenience stores are set up to sell lottery tickets in bulk.

FIDO said...

Shane, Stormy Daniels is available for $130,000. Just saying...

Wince said...

His lawyer is an ambulance chaser.

https://www.waltblennerlaw.com/

Achilles said...

Blogger Bill, Republic of Texas said...
I always thought the expression was: a tax on stupid people.

A tax on people who are bad at math is how I phrase it.

Sydney said...

set up a trust, assign the ticket to the trust and redeem in the name of the trust so you keep your anonymity

I always wondered if there was a way to claim the money without revealing who won it. Can you really do this?

Sydney said...

The lottery is more a tax on people who are bad at math and in need of hope, so it does take advantage of the poor more than any other demographic.
My medical school class used to pool money together to buy lottery tickets with the understanding we would all split it if we won. Not everyone participated, and we never won, but it gave us hope that if we failed med school we'd at least have some money to help pay off our debts. I still buy a ticket once in a while when I am feeling trapped in my job with no exit in sight. Gives me a little bit of hope, no matter how fleeting, and it's only a buck or two.

MacMacConnell said...

I buy a ticket once in a while with loose change on a lark. It's always fun to dream of all the good one could do for one's family. A large enough win could provide scholarships for generations. Besides think of all the pussy you could grab being rich.

FYI, in some states you are not legally allowed to claim the prize anonymously and you GET to be on TV.

Robert Cook said...

"The government drove the mafia out of business because they were competition, not because they disagreed with how they treated people."

You think the Mafia is out of business?

Bad Lieutenant said...


I Have Misplaced My Pants said...
If I won the big big money I would hire my sister the accountant as my financial manager and start founding old-fashioned orphanages/children's homes. ... Somewhat inspired by Plumfield in Little Men.

Oh, and I would put Mr. Pants through veterinary school so he could realize his dream of running a sliding scale feline clinic.

1/12/18, 9:52 PM


Ha! Great minds... With my first billion I would like to establish a dog ranch. A place for all the strays to come and get their shots and run around in the fields all day and sniff each other's butts and come into the barn and eat and sleep whenever they feel like it or the weather is bad. They could have artisan catered bones and play hydrants to make on and maybe mechanical rabbits to chase.