A LOTTERY player won big money but explained he would only keep half the prize due to a deal he made.
Ben Sanford won $2 million in Mega Millions.
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Sanford, of Davenport, Iowa, about 80 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, said he purchased six pieces for the July 29, 2022, drawing.
One of his easy-to-pick tickets matched all five drawing numbers and won him a sweet $1 million.
The player managed to double his winnings, as he also played the Megaplier option, which increased his prize to US$2 million.
These draw numbers were 13, 36, 45, 57 and 67 along with Mega Ball 14, according to Mega Millions.
The Megaplier’s lucky number was two.
Sanford, 37, bought the ticket at a convenience store.
The Big 10 Mart store, at 999 Middle Road in Bettendorf, also received a $2,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
It took Sanford a month to visit the Iowa Lottery offices to claim the money owed to a long-standing agreement he had.
The winner said he and his stepfather Jason bought lottery tickets together.
He explained that the pair agreed that they would split any winnings between themselves.
So the two spent the month deciding how they wanted to claim and spend their winnings.
Sanford stepped up to claim his $2 million win on August 26, 2022.
He revealed that the pair planned to carefully invest their earnings.
Sanford added that he would also consider using the money to buy a new car.
Top US Lottery Winners
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, October 11, 2023, California.
- Unknown Winner – $1.602 Billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023, Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta of Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016.
- Unknown Winner – $1.537 Billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Winner unknown – he sued his child’s mother to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, January 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown Winner – $1.337 Billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Álvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 Billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Winner unknown – $842.4 million Powerball, January 1, 2024, from Michigan.
LOTTO MONEY
Another lottery winner could suffer a similar fate to Sanford if he acts fast.
A $620,000 Powerball ticket went unclaimed, the US Sun previously reported.
Lottery officials in California asked players to check their tickets to see if they matched the drawn numbers of 8, 44, 45, 51 and 69.
The lucky ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven store in Milpitas.
A $450,000 prize will expire in a few weeks if the winner doesn’t come forward.
Illinois players were encouraged to check their bills before it’s too late.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
