LAPEER, Mich. — Michigan is suddenly a richer place this weekend, first with all that Olympic gold coming in from London, and now with the wining ticket to the Powerball Lottery purchased by someone at a Michigan gas station. Local residents may be hoping it wasn't someone passing through to Toledo or Indianpolis.
In the meantime in the town of Lapeer in Michigan's thumb the wait continues for the ticket purchaser to surface. It just happens to be "Lapeer Days" their three day summer festival in the sleepy town of 9,000 and the number one topic is of course, the lottery and speculating about who might have won it.
Folks are a little charged up, like having lightning strike close by. Lapeer Mayor William Sprague is happy because of all the reporters in town. He says they are doing okay, but could always use the boost in tourism the spotlight from the Lottery is bringing their way.
Meanwhile back at Lottery headquarters in Lansing they are getting ready to roll out the red carpet, call in the media. Spokesperson Andi Brancato says the fact that no one surfaced immediately is no surprise, they often advise big winners to seek tax advice before they assume the tax liability. They also have to decide whether to take the 337-million paid in installments or the 224-million dollar lump sum.
That's just the first three questions. With this much cash, it might be a good idea to have a team of advisors, a lawyer, an tax accountant and an auditor to watch the other two. If it's a lottery club, it just gets that much more complicated.
The State Lottery doesn't allow Powerball winners to remain anonymous, no matter how much they may want to. Brancato says it's for the credibility of the game. They have to demonstrate to all the millions that are buying tickets that there are actual winners, because most of them know first hand there are a lot more losers.
The wait goes on. The clerks at the Sunoco station where the ticket was sold have been bombarded by questions about who might have won it, but it's anybody's guess. Brancato says those clerks can expect to be busy for a while. The stores that sell winning jackpot tickets are usually besieged by ticket buyers who think that history might just repeat itself. It rarely does.In the meantime the wait continues, and the lucky winner has up to a year to cash in.
Life is my friend
Rake it up to take it in
Wrap me in your cinnamon
Especially in Michigan
Well I could be your friend
(RHCP)
Huh?
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Golfer!
Oh, hell yeah!
What I've got, you've got to give it to your mamma
What I've got, you've got to give it to your pappa
What I've got, you've got to give it to your daughter
You do a little dance and then you drink a little water
What I've got, you've got to get it put it in you
What I've got, you've got to get it put it in you
What I've got, you've got to get it put it in you
Reeling with the feeling, don't stop continue
Realize, I don't want to be a miser
Confide with sly, you'll be the wiser
Young blood is the lovin' upriser
How come everybody wanna keep it like the Kaiser?
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
I can't tell, if I'm a king pin or a pauper
Greedy little people in a sea of distress
Keep your more to receive your less
Unimpressed by material excess
Love is free, love me say hell yes
I'm a low brow, but I rock a little know how
No time for the piggies or the hoosegow
Get smart, get down with the pow wow
Never been a better time, than right now
Bob Marley, poet and a prophet
Bob Marley, taught me how to off it
Bob Marley, walkin' like he talk it
Goodness me can't you see I'm gonna cough it?
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Oh, oh yeah
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
Give it away, give it away, give it away, now
I can't tell, if I'm a king pin or a pauper
-RHCP
"With this much cash, it might be a good idea to have a team of advisors, a lawyer, a tax accountant and an auditor to watch the other two."
Yeah, he better get a couple guys to watch the lawyer, lol, and make sure they ain't lawyers.
Otherwise he gonna give it away give it away give it away now...
Why is it every time the winner isn't at the lottery office the next day we get these kinds of stories?
Not to mention I find the part with the MSL rolling out the red carpet and alerting the media a bit disturbing...
Whoever it is, they better have them a trust (preferably offshore) and/or and LLC (again preferably offshore) ready to directly transfer the money to and immediately have it burning up the lines straight overseas, and have their butts firmly planted in a first class seat on a plane going to wherever the money is going. Since Michigan won't let them claim anonomusly, then it is all the more important to have this done as quickly as possible.
No, but he will steal it away, steal it away, yes sirreee.
Congratulations to the winner/s
No one is paying that much attention to a lottery winner!
Oh, thank you Ridge!
I was reading one of your post earlier and you said that you play $4.00 PB and you multidraw it. SO DO I!!! That way I stay on budget and I don't have to stand in line every week for tickets.
See you later, I'm off to play some golf!
The comment in the article about Lapeer being a sleepy little town is totally off. If you've ever been to Lapeer you'd see nothing but a strip mall both sides of M-24, constant traffic, and small manufacturing companies down side streets along with more stores.
Just driving through that area yesterday, and I see what you mean Sramster!