Checks numbers, calmly says, "I won"
DES MOINES, Iowa — Waterloo, Iowa, retiree Wally Markham said he wasn't able to keep it secret for long in Smitty's bar on Sunday that he was the jackpot winner in Saturday's Hot Lotto drawing.
Markham, 65, who retired in 2001 after 36 years working at the Deere plant in Waterloo, said he confided to the bartender that he was in line to claim the $7.54 million grand prize. "From then on in, it cost me a fortune."
On Wednesday, Markham collected a fortune at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Des Moines, taking lump-sum winnings of $3.947 million after federal and state tax withholdings for the jackpot ticket he bought at the Kwik Stop at 4335 Texas St. in Waterloo.
Markham, his girlfriend, Vicky Lindquist, also of Waterloo, her daughter and granddaughter were on hand to collect the oversized lottery check and process the electronic transfer that made him Iowa's newest millionaire.
The Hot Lotto winner said he likely will invest some of his new-found fortune but otherwise has no immediate plans for the money that he won via the computer-selected numbers of 5-12-16-23-24 and the "Hot Ball" 8 that matched all six numbers drawn Saturday to win the grand prize.
Markham said he had given his Sunday newspaper to a neighbor and was unaware he had won until the neighbor brought back to paper and read him the numbers.
"He said 'How'd your fare?' I said, 'I won,'" Markham told reporters at a news conference at lottery headquarters today. "He said, "is that all you're going to say?' I said, 'Yeah, I won.' But I went over and looked at it, too." He said he then contacted his accountant and attorney.
Lindquist said she didn't believe Markham at first when he told her but another person present was in tears "so I thought this was the real thing."
The Kwik Stop location in Waterloo will receive a $5,000 bonus from the lottery for selling the jackpot-winning ticket.
Hot Lotto is a multi-state game currently offered in 14 states plus Washington, D.C. More information about Hot Lotto can be found at Lottery Post's Hot Lotto Game Information page.
I was planning on going up to OK to play the next 10 draws. Guess that ain't happening now. LOL.
Dream come true...
Right state,wrong town.Darn,I coulda used that money.
congrats, sir.....have some fun....you deserve it
I wouldn't mine winning the mega millions or powerball this weekend. Since those are the games I like to play and would love to have a small jackpot so people would not bother ol' little weshar75. But congrats on the $3.9 million win I wish you the best on your jackpot spending.-weshar75
Congrats to the Lucky winner.
The Greed of Envy Crowd will be after you for a "small" jackpot. It is their "right"!
There was a third prize for 10,000 dollars in CT, maybe that was the prize the garbage man won and lost the ticket. The real winner is talking to layers, and advisors, that is my two cent.
Congratz to the winner I WON
I WON THE MONEY
congratulation mr. Markham to you and your family. i'm being impatient about collecting my OVER SIZED LOTTERY CHECK
Silence is golden, I would have waited a bit and been more organized regarding my accountant and attorney. But I wish him and his family the best of luck.
I can wait...
Congrat ! Mr Markham and family at least he kept his tickets.
"From then on in, it cost me a fortune."