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Subscribe to RSSResidents in the tiny town of Lapeer, Mich., are consumed with speculation as to which of their neighbors holds the winning Powerball lottery ticket with a valued jackpot of $337 million.
Who is the newest Michigan millionaire? That’s the question that’s been on everyone’s minds in Lapeer, Mich., since it was announced that the lone winning ticket for the third-largest Powerball jackpot ever was sold in the town.
The sole winner has yet to come forward, but the mystery has the town at the heart of the Thumb of Michigan buzzing.
“In the past we’ve had Michigan state lottery winners, but this is a whole different thing," Lapeer City Manager Dale Kerbyson told NBC News. "This money would be enough to buy Lapeer.”
The winning ticket was sold at a local Sunoco gas station in the town about 60 miles north of Detroit, but the ticketholder remains anonymous. Under state lottery law, the winner has an entire calendar year to come forward, but residents in Lapeer – population: about 8,800 – are consumed with speculation as to which of their neighbors holds the winning Powerball lottery ticket to a jackpot worth $337 million.
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“The buzz has been crazy because the whole country was watching, so when they heard it was in Lapeer, people here started getting calls from family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances from absolutely everywhere asking, ‘Did you win? Do you know who won?’” Kerbyson said. “Even my 7-year-old daughter said yesterday pointing to people out the window, ‘Do you think that person won?’ People have almost a suspicion, ‘Is that guy next to me the one who won?’”
Should the mystery winner want to take the prize in one lump sum, he or she would be able to take away about $240 million. But the jackpot would impact the rest of Lapeer too. The city stands to take in some $2 million in tax revenue if the winner is a resident of Lapeer.
“We all want to know, but we’re also looking at how that money can positively impact the entire community,” said Kerbyson, adding that the city would probably use the money to finance a particularly expensive road project in the state.
Kerbyson, who has been the city manager in Lapeer for eight years, described the town as a very blue-collar, middle-class, Midwestern community. He said the added notoriety of the town since the announcement has been a blessing on the people that live there.
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“Everybody in the city is experiencing so much positive attention," Kerbyson said. "There has been a fantastic camaraderie in the city as a result, and this news has almost pulled the city together in a way.”
Mayor Bill Sprague is also loving the city's good fortune.
“We’ve had a saying for many, many years around here that one of our local car dealers had that this is 'Lovely Lapeer' and I guess we might have to change that to ‘Lucky Lapeer,’ or something,” Sprague said.
The ticket was bought at a local Sunoco gas station, but the winner still remains anonymous. Under Michigan law, the winner has a year to come forward. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
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What's the "buzz" about?? If you didn't win, go on with your life! People are too damn nosy these days.
...and yet we spend our time watching people dig through abandoned storage lockers, wrestle pigs, collect trash until it becomes a health hazard. And THOSE ARE TV SHOWS. I think some positive news isn't so bad once in a while, don't you?
I don't watch any of that crap. As far as the "positive news," it's only positive for the people who won money.
Have they stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, it was a tourist from --gasp--outside Michigan who bought the ticket on his way through town? I'm from Michigan, and I know how "interested" the people can be.
Sounds a lot like the small towns in the west I've lived in. I can relate.
so if the winner lives in lapeer, the city gets 2 million. What exactly did the city do to earn that money? Talk about greedy governments.
Congratulations to the new job creator whoever you are.
I'm sure your post was all in good fun, since I'm sure you know the rich are NOT job creators. I'd hate to believe you would be so naive as to believe something like that. The actual job creators are the middle class and the poor since we create the demand for the jobs, the rich do not create jobs just for the sake of creating them. If anything they'd get rid of jobs to increase their bottom lines. I know the Republicans favorite mantra is "don't raise taxes on the job creators" and I'm sure they believe there are many morons out there that would buy crap like that. We the people are the job creators, when we buy a shirt, a car, a stove a new bedroom set we create the jobs. When demand for products go up then they have no choice but to hire in order to keep up with demand. We live in a consumer based economy and since WE are the consumers they only create jobs when we need them to.
How did wondering who won the lottery in MI become a political slam against the republicans? is there no limit to petty little people?
If I had won, I'd do the same thing this guy is doing - first, sit down with your financial adviser, lawyer and a good tax lawyer, and figure out exactly what you are going to do with the money when you get it. Probably plan to sell your house, buy a new house, change your phone number to an unlisted one, get a new cell phone and only give the number to your family. Plan out EXACTLY who of your friends and relatives is going to get money, and who isn't, and stick to that plan.
Once you claim that jackpot every chicken$%#@ lawyer, financial planner, 'friend' and 'long lost relative' within 100 miles is going to be camped outside your house and ringing your phone non-stop and begging for money. If you haven't planned ahead, you are going to be buried under the wave.
"a good tax lawyer"
I would hire Romney's tax lawyer, after all he makes $20 million a year an pays no taxes.
That's the only good idea you've ever posted Thermen!
EXACTLY where did you get your concrete information that Romney pays no taxes? Do you work for the IRS or are you just blowing steam to get a moment of fame? Guess what! No fame here. If you work for the IRS and have actually seen the Romney's tax returns you would be fired for revealing classified information. Let us hope you did not really believe anything Harry Reid says.
I heard a couple good ideas. First, rent a safe-deposit box for the ticket. Next, find your advisory team (lawyer and financial advisor). Then, establish residency in a place (such as Monaco) that doesn't tax winnings. After you've been there more than six months, claim the ticket. It was suggested that an armored car be hired to take you (or your rep) and the ticket to the claim office. After all, it would be a heck of a thing to be in an accident and lose the ticket.
I am hoping that the winner is very poor and needy and has enough brain to do somthing good with it. Lapeer is a small town so I am tend to believe that the person who win it is not really in need. I bet you it is somebody who has reitired.
If he were poor and needy what was he doing blowing money on a lottery ticket?
Wow, really? How about a chance to dream?
Because $2 is not enough to go to a movie. Idiot.
How did this person "Blow" money? $2 = $240 million payout. Sounds like money well spent, in this case.
Did anyone here happen to see the movie, 'Waking Ned Devine'?
When I hear of someone not coming forward to claim a lottery win, I can't help but be reminded of this movie (which I'd seen a few years ago.)
The winner (Ned) had died from the shock of discovering his ticket was the winner and the whole small town attempted to cover up his untimely death once word spread of what had happened. They wanted to get everyone in town on board to split the money amongst themselves by having one of the residents come forward as the ticket purchaser, hoping to keep the truth under wraps. The ensuing comedy/drama was quite entertaining and provided a good look at the way humans might consider dealing with such a situation if given the chance.
I hope Lapeer voters keep a very close eye on how that money is spent. I'm guessing there are some people planning on getting hefty raises or kickbacks in Lapeer. That's if the winner is a resident and not just someone gassing up.
Hope it's a trucker! They deserve a break, and how!
60 miles from detroit is not far enough if thats where the winner lives.
Allright. Stop wondering. I'll publicly announce here, that I, did NOT win. So now there is only 302,987,322 people left to come forward.
I'm happy for them and hope it goes to someone who really needed it. If I could give them one piece of advice it would be this: Take the annuity, over 75% all lottery winners who select the "cash" option are broke within 5 years and bankrupted in 7. IF they take the annuity they can leave whatever payments are left to their family if something happens as long as they have a will. If you've been poor all your life who are you to give up $150 million dollars, TAKE THE ANNUITY!!!!
It's much more fun for the rest of us to see them take the one-time payout in cash and blow it all within 5 years. A fool and his money......make the rest of us laugh heartily.
I am from N.J. and was going through that town. I stopped at that gas station and filled up my car.I then went in to pay for my gas and bought a lottery ticket.I won!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bet the winner is an illegal immigrant.
Here's my advice to the winner,take your money,move far far away,change your name,get only a house phone no cell,open an overseas bank account. The only people I would give anything to is immediate family. But that's me. Oh by the way, hey Lapeer It's none of your business who won. Go on with your petty little lives and stop being busy bodies.
hahaha. I only saw this after I made my post. I'd disappear, move far away, never contact anyone who ever knew me ever again and I'd live life MY way.
:D
Why do people care who won? It wasn't them. If he/she was smart, they'd change their name, move far, far away, buy a house, put up a HUGE stone wall, no phone and just enjoy life.
Hopefully he/she gave some money to Congress on keeping that offshore banking on the elite rich on legal tax evasion. While putting the remaining funds in offshore banking. The IRS only lose billions of tax from offshore banking per year. While Congress only hollers out, it's the baby boomers fault. Of course when running for office, they receive tax evasion money from the elite rich. Not a bad deal for our politicians.
I bought tickets twice a week for the last couple months as a dream back up plan to my slowing small business. I haven't expected to win, but it's fun to dream of a stress free and worry free life. It puts a smile on my face. I have sacrificed all my free time for the last 8 years trying to grow my small business. It's tough. I started it with the dream of having a second chance at a good life having grown up poor. The military was my only option out of high school. I hope someone like myself won, instead of someone who doesn't appreciate the value of a dollar, or is allready rich or retired. Enjoy it!