OT: 23 year old wins $232 million!

[Peartree12249]

SD rancher wins $232 million jackpot

By CHET BROKAW, Associated Press Writer Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer – 49 mins ago
PIERRE, S.D. – If this were a movie, nobody would believe it: A rancher struggling to eke out a living in one of the poorest corners of America claimed one of the biggest undivided jackpots in U.S. lottery history Friday — $232 million — after buying the ticket in a town by the name of Winner.

Neal Wanless, 23, said he intends to buy himself more room to roam and repay the kindness other townspeople have shown his family.

"I want to thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity and blessing me with this great fortune. I will not squander it," he promised, wearing a big black cowboy hat and a huge grin.

Wanless, who is single, lives with his mother and father on the family's 320-acre ranch near Mission, where they raise cattle, sheep and horses. They don't own a phone, a mobile home of theirs was repossessed last year, and records show they have fallen $3,552 behind in their property taxes.

Wanless bought $15 worth of tickets to the May 27 30-state Powerball drawing at a convenience store in Winner during a trip to buy livestock feed. He will take home a lump sum of $88.5 million after taxes are deducted.

The Wanless home stands in a grove of trees in Todd County, home to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. It was the nation's seventh-poorest county in 2007, according to the Census Bureau.

Dave Assman, who owns farmland next to the Wanless ranch, said he is happy the family won't have to worry about money any more. "They've been real short on finances for a long time," Assman said. "They are from real meager means, I guess you'd say."

"I hope they enjoy their money," said county assessor Cathy Vrbka, a family friend. "They work hard, backbreaking hard work."

Wanless' father, Arlen Wanless, 54, has made a living in recent years mainly by buying and selling scrap metal, but his fortunes dropped with the price of iron, said Dan Clark, an auctioneer from Winner and a friend of more than two decades.

The younger Wanless told lottery officials that he spent the last week working on the ranch and that he intends to continue that lifestyle, albeit on a larger piece of land. According to lottery officials, he recently told his horse, Eleanor, "It'd be nice if we go for a longer ride than usual on a bigger ranch of our own."

"My family has been helped by the community, and I intend to repay that help many times over," Wanless said. He gave no details.

An Oregon family turned $40 worth of tickets into $340 million Powerball prize in 2005, and at least four other winners collected larger jackpots than Wanless' prize.

The store where Wanless bought the winning ticket will get a $50,000 bonus. Sharon Ulmer, manager of the store, said she is glad the Wanless family won.

"From what I understand they don't have a lot, so the money definitely went to a good place," Ulmer said. "I know it went to a good home. They can use it."

[Rhiannon]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

[Since 78]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Beat me to it!

[slucero]

that kids gonna get laid like a mofo now...

[T-Bone]

"Assman"

That was a rough childhood right there...

[G.I.Jim]

"Assman"

That was a rough childhood right there...

You guys (and girls) don't let anything slip by you! I didn't even catch that until you pointed it out. That guy would have caught HELL in the military!!! It is a very cool story, and I'm glad to see a family like that win. It sounds like they'll probably do a lot for their community too which is awesome. Thanks for the cool story.

[Voyager]

that kids gonna get laid like a mofo now...

Two years from now his whole family will be on crack and the ranch will have turned into a whorehouse.

[Peartree12249]

You guys are killing me.




I just hope the money does some good for this young man, his family and the community. Too often all you hear about is what a curse it turns out to be and how people start to crawl out of the woodwork and beg for money and try to take advantage of people.

[Voyager]

Lottery Jackpots: Blessing... or Curse?
Take a look at this group of lottery winners who thought they had it made:

Jack Whittaker
In December 2002, he won the largest undivided lottery prize in U.S. history. After taxes, he walked away with $113 million. As the Associated Press put it in an January 2007 article:

"Since then, he has faced his granddaughter's death by drug overdose; he has been sued for bouncing checks at Atlantic City, N.J., casinos; he has been ordered to undergo rehab after being arrested on drunken driving charges; his vehicles and business have been burglarized; and he has been sued by the father of an 18-year-old boy, a friend of his granddaughter's, who was found dead in Whittaker's house."

Karen Cohen
Won $1 million in an Illinois lottery in 1982. In 2000, she filed for personal bankruptcy. In October 2005, a federal jury convicted her of lying to the bankruptcy court about receipt of lottery checks in 1997 and 1998. She was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison.

Billie Bob Harrell, Jr.
Won $31 million in a Texas lottery in 1997, but committed suicide less than two years later. According to MSNBC legal reporter Dan Abrams, "One of the reasons? Everyone - family, friends and strangers - had been hitting him up for money."

William "Bud" Post
Won $16.2 million in a Pennsylvania lottery in 1988. After that, his brother tried to hire a contract murderer to kill him and his sixth wife. His landlady sued him for a portion of the jackpot and he was convicted of assault for firing a gun at a debt collector. He later declared bankruptcy.

"Everybody dreams of winning money, but nobody realizes the nightmares that come out of the woodwork, or the problems," he said in 1993. When he passed away in 2006, The Washington Post headlined his obituary, "The Unhappy Lottery Winner."

Evelyn Adams
Won the New Jersey Lottery twice, in 1985 and 1986, for a total $5.4 million. According to USA Today, she gambled and gave away all her winnings. By 2001, she was poor and living in a trailer. "I won the American dream but I lost it, too. It was a very hard fall," she said. "Everybody wanted my money. I never learned one simple word in the English language - 'No.'"

Suzanne Mullins
Won $4.2 million in a Virginia lottery in 1993. Eleven years later, she was sued for nonpayment of a loan. The judge ordered her to pay $154,147, although the attorney for the company suing her told the Associated Press afterwards that his understanding was that she had no assets left.

Shefik Tallmadge
Won $6.7 million in the Arizona lottery in 1988. By 2005, after a string of bad investments, he declared bankruptcy.

Thomas Strong
Won $3 million in a Texas lottery in 1993. Died in a shoot-out with police in 2006.

Victoria Zell
Shared an $11 million Powerball jackpot with her husband in 2001. By February 2006, according to USA Today, her money was gone and she was serving seven years in a Minnesota prison. She was convicted in March 2005 in a drug- and alcohol-induced collision that killed one person and paralyzed another.

[MBPL]

SD rancher wins $232 million jackpot

By CHET BROKAW, Associated Press Writer Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer – 49 mins ago
PIERRE, S.D. – If this were a movie, nobody would believe it: A rancher struggling to eke out a living in one of the poorest corners of America claimed one of the biggest undivided jackpots in U.S. lottery history Friday — $232 million — after buying the ticket in a town by the name of Winner.

Neal Wanless, 23, said he intends to buy himself more room to roam and repay the kindness other townspeople have shown his family.

"I want to thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity and blessing me with this great fortune. I will not squander it," he promised, wearing a big black cowboy hat and a huge grin.

Wanless, who is single, lives with his mother and father on the family's 320-acre ranch near Mission, where they raise cattle, sheep and horses. They don't own a phone, a mobile home of theirs was repossessed last year, and records show they have fallen $3,552 behind in their property taxes.

Wanless bought $15 worth of tickets to the May 27 30-state Powerball drawing at a convenience store in Winner during a trip to buy livestock feed. He will take home a lump sum of $88.5 million after taxes are deducted.

The Wanless home stands in a grove of trees in Todd County, home to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. It was the nation's seventh-poorest county in 2007, according to the Census Bureau.

Dave Assman, who owns farmland next to the Wanless ranch, said he is happy the family won't have to worry about money any more. "They've been real short on finances for a long time," Assman said. "They are from real meager means, I guess you'd say."

"I hope they enjoy their money," said county assessor Cathy Vrbka, a family friend. "They work hard, backbreaking hard work."

Wanless' father, Arlen Wanless, 54, has made a living in recent years mainly by buying and selling scrap metal, but his fortunes dropped with the price of iron, said Dan Clark, an auctioneer from Winner and a friend of more than two decades.

The younger Wanless told lottery officials that he spent the last week working on the ranch and that he intends to continue that lifestyle, albeit on a larger piece of land. According to lottery officials, he recently told his horse, Eleanor, "It'd be nice if we go for a longer ride than usual on a bigger ranch of our own."

"My family has been helped by the community, and I intend to repay that help many times over," Wanless said. He gave no details.

An Oregon family turned $40 worth of tickets into $340 million Powerball prize in 2005, and at least four other winners collected larger jackpots than Wanless' prize.

The store where Wanless bought the winning ticket will get a $50,000 bonus. Sharon Ulmer, manager of the store, said she is glad the Wanless family won.

"From what I understand they don't have a lot, so the money definitely went to a good place," Ulmer said. "I know it went to a good home. They can use it."

I seriously wish this boy and his family nothing but positve blessings. I love it when people fall down; back taxes, repo; then bounce back. Mr. Wanless two words, 1) THIEVES and 2) "FERTILE HOOCHIE MAMAS" Watch out there now!

[Peartree12249]

Well if that was me, I'd immediately form an LLC and claim the cash as Trust Fund X.

88 million can fund a lifestyle of unbelieveable proportions if managed correctly and you never touch the 88 million. A simple 5% return at guaranteed rates is good enough, why be greedy at this point?

88 million at 5% nets you $4.4 million a year. After taxes about $2.75 million a year or $230,000 a month, or $7500 a day.

If that ain't enough to keep friends happy, fuck em'. I still got 88 million...

Thanks for the tip. If I ever win the lottery. I'll know what to do.

[Rip Rokken]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

[artist4perry]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

Bout time you Butt in..............

[DrFU]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

Bout time you Butt in..............

enough with the cheeky remarks ...

[artist4perry]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

Bout time you Butt in..............

enough with the cheeky remarks ...

I heard it was best to turn the other.........................

[Rhiannon]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

Har har, yuk yuk!

[Peartree12249]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

Bout time you Butt in..............

enough with the cheeky remarks ...

I heard it was best to turn the other.........................

Are you sure you guys are in the right thread. Maybe you meant this one?

OT: Eminem gets up close and personal with Bruno's ass

[Shadowsong]

Wow, good for him!
Sounds like a great guy living a great life
Out on the ranch breathing fresh air & soaking up the sun.

Hard but good down to earth job...working with god's creatures living off the land!

Hey, I'd be happy with a measley mil...

[yulog]

I'm still trying to understand how someone wins 232 million and only gets 85, i'm under the impression that taxes max at 38%, this kid will only see 37%,so 25% goes to the lottery commision? For what? This kid is young enough he should take the 144 million after tax at The 7 mil a year payment. You cant get 5 % at the bank anymore, i dont think you can even get that rate in the swiss banks anymore.

[SherriBerry]

Lottery Jackpots: Blessing... or Curse?
Take a look at this group of lottery winners who thought they had it made:

Jack Whittaker
In December 2002, he won the largest undivided lottery prize in U.S. history. After taxes, he walked away with $113 million. As the Associated Press put it in an January 2007 article:

"Since then, he has faced his granddaughter's death by drug overdose; he has been sued for bouncing checks at Atlantic City, N.J., casinos; he has been ordered to undergo rehab after being arrested on drunken driving charges; his vehicles and business have been burglarized; and he has been sued by the father of an 18-year-old boy, a friend of his granddaughter's, who was found dead in Whittaker's house."

Karen Cohen
Won $1 million in an Illinois lottery in 1982. In 2000, she filed for personal bankruptcy. In October 2005, a federal jury convicted her of lying to the bankruptcy court about receipt of lottery checks in 1997 and 1998. She was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison.

Billie Bob Harrell, Jr.
Won $31 million in a Texas lottery in 1997, but committed suicide less than two years later. According to MSNBC legal reporter Dan Abrams, "One of the reasons? Everyone - family, friends and strangers - had been hitting him up for money."

William "Bud" Post
Won $16.2 million in a Pennsylvania lottery in 1988. After that, his brother tried to hire a contract murderer to kill him and his sixth wife. His landlady sued him for a portion of the jackpot and he was convicted of assault for firing a gun at a debt collector. He later declared bankruptcy.

"Everybody dreams of winning money, but nobody realizes the nightmares that come out of the woodwork, or the problems," he said in 1993. When he passed away in 2006, The Washington Post headlined his obituary, "The Unhappy Lottery Winner."

Evelyn Adams
Won the New Jersey Lottery twice, in 1985 and 1986, for a total $5.4 million. According to USA Today, she gambled and gave away all her winnings. By 2001, she was poor and living in a trailer. "I won the American dream but I lost it, too. It was a very hard fall," she said. "Everybody wanted my money. I never learned one simple word in the English language - 'No.'"

Suzanne Mullins
Won $4.2 million in a Virginia lottery in 1993. Eleven years later, she was sued for nonpayment of a loan. The judge ordered her to pay $154,147, although the attorney for the company suing her told the Associated Press afterwards that his understanding was that she had no assets left.

Shefik Tallmadge
Won $6.7 million in the Arizona lottery in 1988. By 2005, after a string of bad investments, he declared bankruptcy.

Thomas Strong
Won $3 million in a Texas lottery in 1993. Died in a shoot-out with police in 2006.

Victoria Zell
Shared an $11 million Powerball jackpot with her husband in 2001. By February 2006, according to USA Today, her money was gone and she was serving seven years in a Minnesota prison. She was convicted in March 2005 in a drug- and alcohol-induced collision that killed one person and paralyzed another.

Unfortunately these stories don't surprise me, but I'll bet these people had no financial skills before they won the lottery - the money simply magnified problems they already had. Even in my small town we've had people win minor jackpots and there are always leeches hanging around looking for a handout; the people who did well with their money had close knit families. The people who were eventually left with nothing had no one to begin with and I think they were trying to buy their way out of loneliness. And also liked feeling important, perhaps for the first time in their lives.

We already have a plan in our family if we win the lottery, and in Canada there are NO TAXES on lottery winnings. A few years ago the Liberal party suggested bringing in a tax and nearly started a rumble - we take the 649 rather seriously up here! I don't think it would be a problem for us, because we give to legitimate charities but would have no problem saying no to people who are rude enough to call a complete stranger and ask for money for their own benefit.

I don't understand the guy who committed suicide - if people won't leave you alone, pack your bags and don't leave a forwarding address to the beach you're now sitting on drinking Pina Coladas and watching the sunsets.

[Babyblue]

Well if that was me, I'd immediately form an LLC and claim the cash as Trust Fund X.

88 million can fund a lifestyle of unbelieveable proportions if managed correctly and you never touch the 88 million. A simple 5% return at guaranteed rates is good enough, why be greedy at this point?

88 million at 5% nets you $4.4 million a year. After taxes about $2.75 million a year or $230,000 a month, or $7500 a day.

If that ain't enough to keep friends happy, fuck em'. I still got 88 million...

He sounds like a really good kid hope it dose not go to his head.
Great tip If i ever win the lotto i know what to do now. But i guess i need to play frist.

[Peartree12249]

I'm still trying to understand how someone wins 232 million and only gets 85, i'm under the impression that taxes max at 38%, this kid will only see 37%,so 25% goes to the lottery commision? For what? This kid is young enough he should take the 144 million after tax at The 7 mil a year payment. You cant get 5 % at the bank anymore, i dont think you can even get that rate in the swiss banks anymore.

Good question. Near as my math challenged brain can figure, it has to do with getting a lump sum versus a 20 year payout. Don't we have any CPAs or tax lawyers on this forum? HELP!

[StoneCold]

That whooshing noise you heard was all the MR females quickly logging off to plan their trips to SD.

That town's population is increasing its female population as we speak.

We're rootin' for ya Rhi!

Remember us lil folk!

[yulog]

I'm still trying to understand how someone wins 232 million and only gets 85, i'm under the impression that taxes max at 38%, this kid will only see 37%,so 25% goes to the lottery commision? For what? This kid is young enough he should take the 144 million after tax at The 7 mil a year payment. You cant get 5 % at the bank anymore, i dont think you can even get that rate in the swiss banks anymore.

Good question. Near as my math challenged brain can figure, it has to do with getting a lump sum versus a 20 year payout. Don't we have any CPAs or tax lawyers on this forum? HELP!

It is the difference between taking it up front, or spreading it out, i just dont get why the lottery commision gets almost 60 million of this guys winnings. Years ago ,i heard they would be putting it toward education(or at least a part of it) but we all know thats a scam, otherwise the United States would be getting better in regards to education, not worse.

[Jubilee]

That whooshing noise you heard was all the MR females quickly logging off to plan their trips to SD.

That town's population is increasing its female population as we speak.

We're rootin' for ya Rhi!

Remember us lil folk!

You may be betting on the wrong horse, SC. If I leave my house right now, I can be in Winner, SD by dinner time. I know he doesn't live in Winner, but I figure once I get that close, I can smell the cash from there and just follow my nose...

[Peartree12249]

I have only two words of advice for you girls:

No Prenup

[Rip Rokken]

Dave Assman, who owns farmland...

BRILLIANT!

Hey, no more cracks like that outta you!

Har har, yuk yuk!

That one was a hole in one!

[Michigan Girl]

that kids gonna get laid like a mofo now...

Two years from now his whole family will be on crack and the ranch will have turned into a whorehouse.

LOL @ slucero!!! He is a cutie~pie!!!

[The Sushi Hunter]

Yeah, had I won that amount of money when I was in my early 20's, I'd a picked up a Playboy and thumbed through it saying "I can afford her and her and her and her....." My house would have smelled like a clam chowder factory at any given day of the week! Yeah, good thing I never won something like that when I was young.

[Angiekay]

that kids gonna get laid like a mofo now...

Two years from now his whole family will be on crack and the ranch will have turned into a whorehouse.

Are you kidding me?! Have you ever BEEN to Mission SD?! It IS one big reservation whorehouse!!! This guy is only a few hours from me and I get the "you should go after that one, Ang. Ugh, it would take more than $88 mil to get me to live in that part of the world. If he was smart, he would take the money and get the hell out of there!