Posted on 11/02/2025 7:58:36 AM PST by Red Badger
The winner said his wife didn’t believe his win until their son confirmed it on the Ohio Lottery app
Sometimes it pays to be forgetful.
An Ohio man’s oversight turned into a life-changing moment when his forgetfulness scored him a $500,000 lottery prize.
The unidentified Roseville resident told the Ohio Lottery that he went to cash a $50 winning Best of 7’s scratch-off in Zanesville but discovered he’d left the ticket at home.
Trying his luck again, the man said he decided to buy another Best of 7’s scratch-off at South 60 Market in Zanesville, and nearly became sick in his car when he realized he’d won half a million.
He called his wife to tell her the good news, but said she didn’t believe him – until their son confirmed it on the Ohio Lottery app.
The winning number was 13, which is also his dirt car racing number.
As for his advice on how he got so lucky, the man told the lottery, “You can’t win if you don’t play.”
After taxes, the man will take home $364,375, which he plans to use to pay off his house, buy a new car, and spend more time with his family.
Best of 7’s offers 60 chances to win per ticket, with one top and two second-tier prizes still remaining as of October 28, the lottery said.
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Maybe I should buy a ticket.................
I NEVER win anything with the Lottery, because I don’t play.
Remember when lottery tickets were in the news every day?
Remember when the stock market was in the news every day?
Remember when tulips were in the news every day?
Jacob prayed at the wall.
“God, why do you ignore me? Could you just once help me win the lottery”?
God:
“Jacob, Jacob, meet me halfway...........buy a ticket”
Besides paying off my house, I would set up a trust that guaranteed payment of my property taxes and insurance indefinitely.
As it appears now, at my age & the increases we get every year, if I live another 10 years without coming into more money I will have to sell our home because we won’t be able to pay the taxes. And as we know, the government’s need for money is far more righteous & important than my wife & I living in a home we have paid for all these years. Bastards.
Thank goodness they stopped reporting about that damned South Sea Bubble!
Was getting on my nerves.
Regards,
500k currently? I COULD be debt free.
PAY OFF THE HOUSE-—GOOD MOVE
BUY ANY BRAND OF NEW CAR——PLEASE RETHINK
GO TO HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS & BUY A RESTORED OLDER CAR-—MUCH MORE RELIABLE.
HAVING TO HAVE THE DEALER REMOVE & REPLACE A FENDER TO CHANGE A HEADLIGHT BULB IS BEYOND NUTS.
IF THAT WHAT THEY ARE TEACHING ENGINEERS THESE DAYS-—IT IS A WASTED EDUCATION
Sadly, it’s only $364k, after taxes. Unless he lives in a cave, the house will take it all.
I begin to think that the only answer to property taxes is to move where people do not want to live.
After taxes, the man will take home $364,375,
Don’t know Ohio taxes, but Florida has no state income tax............
I owe $69K on my mortgage. Pay it off.
Set up some sort of trust to pay property taxes and insurance indefinitely.
Set up conservative investment() with the rest, leaving out just enough to buy a second motorcycle. Man does not live by sound money management alone ha ha
In NC on a $500K win, Feds will take 24%, the state wins 5.25% for a total of 29.5%. You would keep $353,750.
Sensible things to do with the money.
People in Zanesville aspire to upgrade to a cave. 😁
Depends on mortgage interest rate; as he saw when he elected to take the lump sum and pay taxes now (not necessarily a bad choice depending on age and other considerations), 500k doesn’t go very far. He could end up just as poor, and be full of regrets if he makes poor financial decisions with what’s left after the taxes. There will be a lot of advisors trying to sell services. The best advice I could offer is try to retain anononymity and ask for free education and advice at bogleheads.org
It’s the cost of gambling you win some you lose some you can’t win if you don’t play.
Good luck
Back in the late 80s I knew a man who won $4.5 million - lotta money 30 + years ago. He took $17k monthly for 20 years. He still managed to go broke long before the 20 years was used up. Last I saw him he was running a register in a convenience store.
Beyond getting and divorcing 3 wives, child support I don’t know what else he did. I do know that his father somewhere along the way had to take over his finances, etc.
Canada has ZERO tax on lottery winnings. Nil. Zip. None.
You win a lotto here, you get the whole prize.
Of course once your (post-win) investments start giving you dividends you get to pay tax on that, but a lottery win is not considered income.
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