Pure serendipity - a detour around some bridge work and a spur-of-the-moment decision to buy tickets early for the May 8 Powerball drawing - have made Steven and Kristine White multimillionaires.
The township couple bought the only winning ticket for the largest jackpot in the Pennsylvania Lottery's 32-year history - a one-time payment of $110,230,721, minus 25 percent in federal tax withholdings.
Steven White, a vice president of a small New Jersey meat company, bought the ticket May 5 in Upper Makefield, Pa., at a Cumberland Farms convenience store, not far from the spot where George Washington crossed the Delaware River in 1776.
The couple said they buy Powerball tickets infrequently and only when the jackpots get big.
New Jersey doesn't participate in the Powerball lottery, and Steven White said the couple normally crosses the Delaware River into New Hope, Pa., but took an alternate route because of bridge work there.
"That (Lambertville) bridge has been under construction so, out of the blue, we said, `Let's go over (the) Washington Crossing (bridge),' " he said, "and the Cumberland Farms was the first place we saw" where Powerball tickets were on sale.
Steven White, 40, originally planned to buy tickets only for the drawing on May 5 - a Wednesday - but was inspired to expand his bet when the customer in front of him bought $3 in tickets for both the May 5 and the May 8 drawings.
"I said, `What a great idea. I will too.' Otherwise I would not have bought the ticket for Saturday night. I wouldn't even have thought of it," he said.
He played no favorite numbers, letting the ticket machine pick the numbers instead.
The Whites, whose two teenage children attend Montgomery High School, didn't immediately think of checking if they won that Saturday night's drawing. They spent the next day - Mother's Day - at the shore with the ticket stub stuck in their car's visor.
They didn't realize their good fortune until the following day after Kristine White, a geriatric nurse, learned from a co-worker that the winning ticket had been bought at a Cumberland Farms store in Bucks County. By that night, the giddy truth was beginning to sink in.
"The first night, we were up all night. We didn't sleep a minute. I checked the ticket probably about, oh, 400 times," Steven White recalled.
"We really don't know what to say at this point," Kristine White said yesterday. "We're just a little overwhelmed by everything."
During a news conference with the Whites in Harrisburg, Pa., people chuckled as one reporter recalled doing his best to be in the couple's shoes.
"My wife and I (played) in the same lottery and won $16," the reporter said.
The Whites said they plan to use much of their newfound wealth, which totals almost $83 million once Uncle Sam takes his share, to help needy people. Steven White said he plans to quit his job and spend time volunteering at local hospitals.
"We have always wanted to donate our time at the local hospitals for the elderly and children," he said.
"We do know that there is a person in our hometown who is very, very ill and we would like to help out as many people as we can," he said without disclosing the person's identity.
Kristine White, 39, acknowledged that she will no longer need her income but said she would not want to quit working entirely.
"I've been a nurse most of my adult life, and I can't imagine not doing that," she said, adding that she'll be donating her salary to charity.
At least some of the Whites' neighbors on the two-lane country road in the Skillman section of Montgomery knew of the couple's jackpot success prior to yesterday's official announcement.
One couple, who live next door to the Whites and asked not to be identified, have one wish - and it isn't what you might imagine. They just hope the Whites don't pack up and leave.
"They're the nicest people you'd want to meet. They're great neighbors. They deserve it," one neighbor said. "You can't ask for better neighbors."
"They're a lovely family," his wife said. "They're a very loving, close family."
The store that sold the winning ticket won a $400,000 bonus. Cumberland Farms said it would share the reward with 10 store employees and donate $80,000 to two charities, according to state officials.
Secretary of Revenue Gregory C. Fajt and Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Edward Mahlman joined the couple at a news conference at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
The winning numbers were 3-9-17-37-43, and the Powerball was 39.
I am so happy for them but one Question i always asked myself,When will my time come?I hope they do as they say and God gonna blessed them bountifully.They sounded so nice and calm on the television.
Quick pick strikes again, proves the lottery is dumb luck. If your system works then it was dumb luck, just like a quick pick. The lottery is an indepedent dvent with a horrible house take that can never be beat in long run unless you hit a monster jackpot!
Nice story about the bridge detour and the customer in front of him in line influencing his decision to get a multi-draw ticket (imagine if you were that customer and heard that your influence netted millions for the guy in line behind you)! It's funny how pure luck plays out. Also, quick-pics are the way to go!
Quote:Originally posted by qutgnt on May 19, 2004
Quick pick strikes again, proves the lottery is dumb luck. If your system works then it was dumb luck, just like a quick pick. The lottery is an indepedent dvent with a horrible house take that can never be beat in long run unless you hit a monster jackpot!
The quick pick only struck again because 70% of winning tickets are quick picks in which case you can safely assume that 70% of tickets sold are quick picks. Isn't it then more likely that the winning ticket would be a quick pick. The other 30% are personally selected numbers and at least 95% of those are favorite numbers, birthdays, ages, anniversaries etc. The other 5% (probably less) are what a lot of us around here use; a system. Nobody around here at least we know of has won a multi-million dollar jackpot but many people here have won lower tier prizes more often because of using a system including myself. Any legitimate system I am aware of or I use doesn't guarantee you will win a mega jackpot but they guarantee you will increase your chances. That is what most of here are trying to do is increase our chances. And as long as I know I am increasing my chances I will continue to use a system. Personally I am glad more people don't use a system because if more people were using systems I believe jackpots would be won more and may not get as high.
Yes and playing quick picks and such I have hit many lower tier prizes too, what is your point? Since every dvent is random systems are useless especially in games that pay out such a poor %. You are wasting your time and energy.
Quote:Originally posted by qutgnt on May 19, 2004
Yes and playing quick picks and such I have hit many lower tier prizes too, what is your point? Since every dvent is random systems are useless especially in games that pay out such a poor %. You are wasting your time and energy.
I am sure you have hit many lower tier prizes using quick picks just as a lot of other people have. But how often have you won multiple lower tier prizes on the same ticket? My guess is that if you are using quick picks you haven't done it much. Even though the lower payouts may stink you can win multiple lower tier prizes (even if you don't match all the numbers) and come out way ahead by using a wheel which is part of using a system. I have hit 5/6 on a Pick 6 game four times and each time except once (because I filled out the playslip wrong) I hit 5/6 twice on the same $5 ticket and a few 4/6 matches by using a wheel. Each ticket was worth at least $1100. I have made more than I have lost and I in know way see it as a waste of my time or energy or MONEY!!!! I also disagree that each dvent is random in general. For the most point lottery draws are random. But even in this randomness there can be predictability and I am not at all surprised when I choose my numbers and see a number catch my eye I am not surprised when that number is drawn. If I believe a number has a stong possibility of hitting, why would I want to play any number combinations where that number is not present in at least some of the combinations? That is why I use a system. I want to play number combinations that I believe are more likely to hit than others.
Yes when playing a system and your numbers hit then of course you will win multiple prizes, but when those numbers dont hit your screwed. All I am saying is with quick picks or systems you hold the same chance of winning. Bottom line. If you are playing these games to win lower tier prizes then your better off playing the horses or roulette where the house take is miniscule compared to the lottery. Bottom line is this if its your day its your day, aint no way to beat a house edge of 50% or so.
Quote:Originally posted by qutgnt on May 19, 2004
Yes when playing a system and your numbers hit then of course you will win multiple prizes, but when those numbers dont hit your screwed.
So when you play quick picks and your numbers don't hit you are screwed also. What is your point? My point is if you are going buy tickets, then why not choose numbers using prior draws to analyze the numbers and wheel those numbers and even if all your numbers don't come in you always have the chance to win multiple times and win more money. And if your numbers do come in you will win the top tier prize and possibly many lower tier prizes depending on how many numbers you wheeled. With a quick pick you basically only get one chance because your numbers are not going to be wheeled and what's more you had no say in what your numbers are. I used to play quick picks (and worse I picked my own numbers playing the coldest numbers-what a mistake!!!!!!) before I learned of better and smarter ways to play and I have won more in the last year then I did in the ten years before that. Picking my own numbers using a system has worked for me and in my opinion is the way to go.
They sound like real nice folks. No potential Jack Whitaker horror story here.
Chas
I am so happy for them but one Question i always asked myself,When will my time come?I hope they do as they say and God gonna blessed them bountifully.They sounded so nice and calm on the television.
Quick pick strikes again, proves the lottery is dumb luck. If your system works then it was dumb luck, just like a quick pick. The lottery is an indepedent dvent with a horrible house take that can never be beat in long run unless you hit a monster jackpot!
Nice story about the bridge detour and the customer in front of him in line influencing his decision to get a multi-draw ticket (imagine if you were that customer and heard that your influence netted millions for the guy in line behind you)! It's funny how pure luck plays out. Also, quick-pics are the way to go!
The quick pick only struck again because 70% of winning tickets are quick picks in which case you can safely assume that 70% of tickets sold are quick picks. Isn't it then more likely that the winning ticket would be a quick pick. The other 30% are personally selected numbers and at least 95% of those are favorite numbers, birthdays, ages, anniversaries etc. The other 5% (probably less) are what a lot of us around here use; a system. Nobody around here at least we know of has won a multi-million dollar jackpot but many people here have won lower tier prizes more often because of using a system including myself. Any legitimate system I am aware of or I use doesn't guarantee you will win a mega jackpot but they guarantee you will increase your chances. That is what most of here are trying to do is increase our chances. And as long as I know I am increasing my chances I will continue to use a system. Personally I am glad more people don't use a system because if more people were using systems I believe jackpots would be won more and may not get as high.
Yes and playing quick picks and such I have hit many lower tier prizes too, what is your point? Since every dvent is random systems are useless especially in games that pay out such a poor %. You are wasting your time and energy.
I am sure you have hit many lower tier prizes using quick picks just as a lot of other people have. But how often have you won multiple lower tier prizes on the same ticket? My guess is that if you are using quick picks you haven't done it much. Even though the lower payouts may stink you can win multiple lower tier prizes (even if you don't match all the numbers) and come out way ahead by using a wheel which is part of using a system. I have hit 5/6 on a Pick 6 game four times and each time except once (because I filled out the playslip wrong) I hit 5/6 twice on the same $5 ticket and a few 4/6 matches by using a wheel. Each ticket was worth at least $1100. I have made more than I have lost and I in know way see it as a waste of my time or energy or MONEY!!!! I also disagree that each dvent is random in general. For the most point lottery draws are random. But even in this randomness there can be predictability and I am not at all surprised when I choose my numbers and see a number catch my eye I am not surprised when that number is drawn. If I believe a number has a stong possibility of hitting, why would I want to play any number combinations where that number is not present in at least some of the combinations? That is why I use a system. I want to play number combinations that I believe are more likely to hit than others.
Yes when playing a system and your numbers hit then of course you will win multiple prizes, but when those numbers dont hit your screwed. All I am saying is with quick picks or systems you hold the same chance of winning. Bottom line. If you are playing these games to win lower tier prizes then your better off playing the horses or roulette where the house take is miniscule compared to the lottery. Bottom line is this if its your day its your day, aint no way to beat a house edge of 50% or so.