Woody Simmons sat in his car and screamed.
Thankfully, it was for good news — the Maryland man had just realized that he won $10 million in a Virginia lottery scratch-off game.
A week ago, Simmons, who works for the U.S. Postal Service and lives in Hyattsville, stopped at a Woodbridge convenience store where he often shops. He noticed a sign inside about a new lottery game, Extreme Millions.
"I thought, 'Well, let me take a chance,' " Simmons told lottery officials in Virginia.
He bought one ticket.
Sitting in his car, he scratched off the ticket and realized that he had won.
"I just screamed in my car with all the windows up," he told lottery officials.
But Simmons told no one about his big winnings. He kept the ticket in his pocket while he worked at his job, according to lottery officials.
"He didn't tell anyone he won, not even his wife," said John Hagerty, a spokesman for the Virginia Lottery. And when he told his wife, Hagerty said, "she didn't believe it."
On Wednesday, Simmons went back to the store, the Optimax Service Center, and claimed his prize — a check from Virginia Lottery officials. A photo shows him smiling as he holds an oversize check for $10 million.
Simmons opted for the one-time cash option of $6.5 million before taxes. He could have chosen to receive the full $10 million over 30 years, according to lottery officials.
Even with his big winnings, Simmons said he plans to go back to work.
Will he go to Disneyland, travel around the world or buy a new car? Simmons didn't tell lottery officials.
"He said he is looking at his options," said Hagerty, who noted that Simmons had done what officials recommend all big-prize winners do immediately: meet with a financial adviser.
The store received a $50,000 commission for selling the winning ticket.
Virginia Lottery officials said there are three other $10 million tickets in the Extreme Millions game. The chances of winning that top prize are 1 in 2,937,600.
Hagerty said it's unclear whether the other $10 million tickets have been sold or are still sitting in stores. When lottery officials set a closing date for the game, winners of any prize have six months after that date to claim their prizes.
A closing date for Extreme Millions has not been set, lottery officials said.
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Hearty Congratulations to Woody Simmons!!!
Yes, a financial adviser comes in handy when you need one like Woody does now.
I won a day ago 100 4x on Extreme and $1,000.00 months ago.
So, congrats to the lucky Multi-Millionaire."
When are we going to hear of a LP member who won $10 million off a scratcher? l can just hear them yell " Lord have mercy! "
** Side note: This afternoon, a guy hands the clerk his MM slip and gives him $1:00 after the clerk runs the slip. l could hear the back and forth on " l only have one dollar, when did it go up to two? I didn't stick around to hear the end of the discussion.. as they say " Oh Well!"
Check out the Florida thread on the Scratchoff forum. Those guys are pretty hard core.
EmtAdam hit again, $1 million.
Cool thread.
How much did the scratch off cost?
Wow rcb, that's outstanding. After Uncle Sam takes a bite, its probably still north of 600K. Congrats to the winner!!
l *think a ticket is in the $20- $25 range.
Thirty Smackeroos. Maybe he'll win something in his home state of Maryland and another picture will be taken...though MD you can remain anonymous.
I would take the cash only because the interest rate. He did correct with a financial advisor. He should retire from the Postal service and if invested correctly he never has to work again. So that is 2 forms of income. Awesome. I am glad it made his day.
Why should he retire from he's job? He's situation is no where close to the Robinsons who won a third of a billion dollars.l recall reading where Mr R said " l will continue to work." Perhaps he sees the Uncles & cousins coming out of the woodwork, siphoning off he's new found wealth, and has the forethought to continue working while investing the money. He has the perfect excuse for when the parasites come calling. He can always respond " The money is all gone, can't you tell, lm still working?"
Why should he retire? I'll give you one good reason. Everyone on his route knows he won that much money. All it takes is one crack addict to shove a gun in his face. I'd sure hate to read a bad story regarding this guy.
How do you know his situation? Do you know what he earns, tax returns, etc? Like seriously.
I am not sure why some just don't get it especially this discussion. Congrats to that worker for winning. He is plastured his pic on here, the state where he won, and who knows on the internet everywhere.
He should retire from what he does. Why are some members saying he should do this, do that, etc?
If anyone else on this site won that type of money you would work too really.
If his face is shown yes everyone knows his route.
l don't, and neither do you. To somehow suggest that he ought to retire from his job is cavalier of you. You used the word " Ought" - which signifies OBLIGATION...seriously? Which he is Not! l was simply covering all the bases, Why? Because long lost " family & friends" have the tendency to show up when money suddenly appears.
But he does not have to take either of ours suggestions.Look on the plus side for a minute: Perhaps there are No crack addicts in he's area. The other thing: He looks like a pretty big guy,could handle himself in a situation, probably served in the armed forces, carries a weapon himself. This conversation can go in any direction, but this remains true: If he feels he needs to continue working, then so be it.
Think happy thoughts once in a while- free of addicts and guns GB.
If he wants to keep his job, that's up to him, more power to him. Personally I wouldn't. Two points in response to your post....
Just about to go in & watch the new Thor movie GB. Will get back to you Big Guy. Stay tuned.
If he works for the post office, I believe he needs to reach a certain age and years in service to get a pension. If he is close, why not stay? Why walk away from all that money? This is his career and he deserves the pension. I bet the job is great exercise as well.
Oh yes, I am sure he won that much money, because when the VA Lottery worker filled the store with the Scratch Offs, they enclosed the 3 foot by 4 foot check, right at this gas station for the clerk to keep when the winner comes to claim it. This happens all the time in Maryland where I am residing. Wake up Sheeple.
For me its all about 'opportunity cost'. With the winnings you now have the opportunity to do other things than work. I couldn't continue to work when I know there are SOOO many things I would rather do or experience. So I would forgo the pension to have the freedom.
Of course you would forget about your pension, which you honestly owed, and we can see why: You not thinking clearly!
Yes I would 'forget about' a pension and gladly, since the win would give me the money than I need. Time is irreplaceable to me, and more important than money. But I also understand if you need the pension regardless of the win.
The word pension is scary
So what is he looking at after taxes? Pretty sure it is retire right money, it would be for me.
Walk away! His retirement vested after 5 years. What he wd receive is determined by the number of years service and age.
http://www.fedweek.com/reg-jones-experts-view/vesting-for-retirement/
Woody,
Ya done reallllllllllllll good !!! Congrats and enjoy retirement. Spend wisely
I don't know if he has been there 5 years.
What are some of you people talking about? LOL! The guy just won 10 million dollars and you say he should continue working for his pension? Unbelievable.
NICE GOOD JOB
After taxes, it will be closer to $ 2.5 million. If he has a huge medical emergency in his family, aged parents, etc., that money could go quickly. We are not talking $100 million here. There are careers and there are jobs. People invested in careers tend to think differently.
Is Me
You are thinking outside of the box and that is a good thing. Think about how many people shoulda/coulda retired, then dropped dead very shortly thereafter. You can't take it with so why not enjoy what life you have left.
He's 56 y/o. Retirement is 62. He could leave and not take retirement until he is 62 or sooner. Sure, his pension wd be reduced somewhat, but the free time is worth it. He wd have cobra for a couple of years and once he is retired he wd get med insurance thru his pension.
Exactly! They are robbing carriers for just the thought of having valuable!
The article said he worked for the U.S. postal service....there a many jobs that do not require delivering mail (I did not see where it said that he was a mailman)
It is possible that he works in one of the offices or has a desk job.
Nonetheless, if he is close to retirement I can see why he would stick it out to get full pension.
(Congrats and blessings to him and his family!!!)
...but the free time is worth it. My point exactly. As for me I have 268 hours left in my job and throwing in the towel 31 DEC 17. Then switch to Tricare Prime for 3 years, then that becomes free. Military pension goes up 4.6% in January, Social Security in February. I'll miss the PICU in many ways, and irreparable treatment from previous manager of RT is the main reason I'm leaving. Like you said free time is worth.
My point is if I were him I'd retire early, you can't buy back lost years in time and health.
I didn't see in the article were it gave his age or how long he's worked at the postal service.
Anyways, it depends on whether he is on the civil service retirement system or the federal employees retirement system.
There are big differences in each as far as what you can collect.
Civil Service Retirement System
Employees who began working for the USPS before 1984 are enrolled in the Civil Service Retirement System unless they chose to switch to the Federal Employees Retirement System. The CSRS offers a significantly larger annual pension after retirement, and annual cost-of-living adjustments, but unlike FERS participants, you may not participate in the matching thrift savings plan and are not eligible for Social Security. With CSRS, a postal worker who retired at age 58 after 27 years of employment with the average of his highest three years of earnings being $54,000 would receive an annual retirement payment of $27,135.
Federal Employees Retirement System
The Federal Employees Retirement system was introduced in 1987 as a replacement for CSRS. All USPS employees who began work after 1984 are automatically enrolled in FERS; employees who began before 1984 have the choice to stay on CSRS or switch to FERS. With FERS, a postal worker who retired at age 58 after 27 years of employment with the average of her highest three years of earnings being $54,000 would receive an annual retirement payment of $14,580. FERS participants, however, are eligible for Social Security and can contribute up to 5 percent of their salary to a TSP, which is matched by the government in a tax-deferred account. This means that in some cases FERS participants can end up with larger total retirement benefits.
Analysis of Differences in CSRS and FERS
Tammy Flanagan, senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc., points out that the generally accepted wisdom that CSRS is better than FERS is not true in some cases, and it is definitely worth it to sit down and figure out what is best for your personal situation. Considerations include taking TSP contributions into account with FERS and the possibility of retiring early under CSRS and working elsewhere for several years to qualify for Social Security. Flanagan also points out FERS employees retain more control over their retirement. TSP funds can remain invested after retirement and Social Security benefits are available anytime after age 62.