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Hoosier Lottery
Larry Chandler, 34, was one of the first people through the door at the Indiana lottery headquarters Thursday morning.
A Powerball winner has 180 days to pick up their prize, but a Highland, Ind., man didn't bother to waste a single day after winning $1 million in Wednesday's Powerball.
Larry Chandler, 34, was one of the first people through the door at the Indianapolis lottery headquarters Thursday morning after discovering he was one of the big winners in the $587.5 million drawing.
But the union electrician says he'll be back at work on Monday -- after he hires a tax adviser and a financial planner.
For more, visit NBCChicago.com
Chandler's girlfriend's daughter tells NBC 5 that he had been living with them because his own home was in foreclosure. His immediate plans for the money include helping out his mom, starting a college fund for his daughter and taking his girlfriend to Red Lobster -- which should buy plenty of cheddar biscuits.
Chandler says he played his own numbers and matched every one except the Powerball.
The winning ticket was purchased at the Highland Citgo on Kennedy Avenue.
"It's really great that one of my customers has had good fortune," Citgo employee Keith Barnes said.
A second million-dollar ticket was purchased in Vincennes, IN, but it has yet to be claimed, and two other million-dollar tickets were purchased in Central Illinois.
Two tickets, purchased in Arizona and Missouri, matched all six numbers and the winners will split the more than half a billion-dollar jackpot.
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WOW, great story! I am happy for him!!!!
Larry, congrats. Just goes to show you can't win if you don't play.
Good for him an everyday Joe that needed a small piece of the pie. Good Bless and enjoy!!!!
That girlfriend of his had better enjoy her trip to Red Lobster because it might be the last one for a long time. Now that he has money he's going to suddenly be a lot more interesting and good looking to many women. He'll likely start looking to upgrade asap, and all that time and energy you put into helping him out while he lived with you will be forgotten...poof just like that. He'll tell her some crap about how he'll always cheris the memories of them together as he trots off to his new, fabulous life while leaving her far behind. She might get a yearly Christmas letter from him though just so she can see how well he's doing and how happy he is in his new life.
I'd like to think this story has a different ending, but I've seen too much in my day. I'll pray I'm wrong, but it's just the way it usually shakes out in these cases. Look at how many stars ditched their wives after making it big.
Why would you assume he is like you?
@ Nixon
Just because you would run off with a younger, prettier woman if you had won the money doesn't mean all of other guys in the world are jerks too.
Congradulations!! I simply love hearing about this great hardworking,honest guy winning this money in the lottery, It is exactly the way it should be, And the fact that it will undoubtedly change his life,but not change who he is, that is wonderful, He says he will for the time being at least,still work and more importantly help his mother, what a great guy, Very good to get a smart financial planner to help you with this. Its a magical time of year to have this happen. Enjoy my friend
well good for him ,, he should get his house out of foreclosure before the irs takes more of his money and pay it off, then he owes no one a cent, dont give a penny to his relatives,, cept his mom of course and put the rest away for a rainy day, after taxes isnt all that much left, change his phone number, use his head and he will be fine, no donations cause as you can see, no one donated a dime to him to help him out of his foreclosure problem, no one willtake care of you, but you,i learned that many many years, ago,
Zippy, like most people you do not understand CONTRACT LAW. You equate a financial contract as "MORAL" obligation, it is not in any sense of the word. The lender offers a financial instrument based on collateral, just the same as when you buy a car. In return you pledge real property or collateral for security. If you default the lender is made "WHOLE" by taking possession of the collateral, be it a car, TV, or house. If he defaulted, and the lender took his home, the lender was made "whole" based on their contractual expectations. They may have actually profited depending on his equity point. They may have lost, if the house was in negative price point. But all in all...he did not cheat anybody, or injure anybody. The lender is made whole again, he lost whatever his down payment was, plus any equity. So WHO is on the losing end? Not the lender.....
It's amazing how judgmental people are. Without knowing the full story, not that it's any of our business. Interesting how people fill in the blanks. I'm noting, too, that he didn't say anything about the foreclosure, but I don't draw any conclusions from that. First of all, his remarks were when his win was very fresh. He may not know yet what he can do about the foreclosure. Banks are notoriously difficult to deal with even when you're eager to work with them. They're also exceedingly bureaucratic so it may be too late to stop the process. What is clear is that he's intent on making smart, good use of his winnings. I assume that means discharging debt. Why assume otherwise? About spending $2 on a lotto ticket when money is squeeky tight, if the $2 is his entertainment budget, that's a super conservative price for a bit of fun. That's not a silly idea to me: I play modestly for the fun of imagining midst other pleasures likes walks in the park that cost me nothing. But quite apart from any such possible circumstances, why assume even that he's a regular player? $2 is $2. Can't make more of it than that. Silly business, all this judging. Happy story.
Entertainment budget? Entertainment should be a discretionary expense. Shelter is one of our core needs and should be addressed first. That is the problem that I would assume most of us "judgemental" people have with this story. If you play for fun, good for you. But only do it if you have the money...a guy in default on his mortgage clearly doesn't have it to spend.
Hey Sick...I'm sick of people like you and your whining! Enjoy your bitterness! Now go kick your dog and start some road rage incident and get your butt whomped.
This is great! How very cool that a guy down on his luck, finally got lucky! Love it!!!
I don't understand why people are diss'n on him for wanting to go to Red Lobster now. Have you seen their prices?! You practically DO have to be a millionaire to be able to go there and really do it up right and not worry about the ticket after dinner! If I had a million, I would LOVE to go there! They have great shrimp and awesome margaritas...but again...spendy! - unless you get that nice sale they do once a year or so where you get all the different kinds of shrimp you can care to indulge in for $14.99 or something like that! And to me - that's still a LOT. Thankfully, I know how to cook a mean garlic butter shrimp scampi! Born in the deep south - you tend to pick up on things like that!
Love to hear about the working class finally getting a break...but you should buy your girlwho stands buy your side a tad bit more then a dinner:) Love helping Mom part of the story the best:)
He may have spent $2 or more on a "lootery" ticket. But we all know what and who are the real problems in this society. J. J. Jr., G. R. Sr., R. B., B. O., H. R., and the list goes on and on. Think people. Think.
Plain and simple when he was working he was not paying for his house.Not like he was making 8.00 an hour.
first off for all those nay sayers..bite it..here is the perfect example of the good lottery can bring to those whom really need it an those whom deserve it..ordinary people...wonderful...an secondly..
CONGRATS dude! god be with you
You can see the stress in his Face , 34? he looks 44. I hope this brings him some Relief! Good Luck Partner!
Back to work on Monday? I hear ya, a million is alot of money but its not what it used to be.First at least 25% comes off the top for taxes,pay off your house and all your debts and there's 15% more. So a million just turned into $600,000, daughters school is another $100,000. Now your at half a million. Help out loved ones and who knows how much is left? But one thing I can say is congratulations you just got a clean slate as far as debts and credit ratings are concerned. Keep your job and use whatever is left wisely.
Lets just hope he has a better way of managing money when he takes this 1million dollars and lets just hope he doesnt go haywire with it and ends up back in foreclosure in a number of years. People have to be mindful of what they do with that million or it will be all gone before he knows it. Dont spend it all in one place.
He got so lucky! Glad he can get himself out of a ditch now!
The "Haters" on here are typical MSNBC/NBC liberals (NYDOGLOVER),,,you have your hands out for OBAMACARE, OBAMAPHONES, Ammnesty and benefits for 12 million illegals,,,and the 16 million liberals in NY/NJ who re0elected this lying #%@#$,,,have their hands out for 80 BILLION at last count. You then MOCK some poor working stiff in IN, for winning the lottery and wanting to got to dinner. SCHEEEEZ, really? Trade workers are,,up/down with work..some weeks you get a $5000 paycheck other weeks NONE,,, it all depends on the flow of work. Did he lose his house to foreclosure,,,yup. But going out to eat for 100.00 is not being "foolish". The fact that he is putting aside money for his daughters college is great, she wont have a bill,,and wont be taking form others via grants etc. LET HIM BE YOU FOOLS
last time i ate in the lobster red came down sick with runoffs but that's another story,glad they posted he was a union electrician,and a lot of you poster's seem to have a sign of jealousy in your comments,he'll spend it wisely,check him out in 18 months.
Good for Larry for winning! I hope he gets good financial advice and follows it. Those complaining about him spending $2 for a ticket that could change his entire life ignore the fact that $2 wasn't going fix his problems if spent on anything BUT a lottery ticket and it wouldn't have greatly affected his life if he lost it.
I'm comfortably retired with a paid-off mortgage and an income above the average full-time worker's. But I bought 3 tickets because losing $6 wasn't going to change my life, but matching 5 or 6 numbers sure would.
what a UNION electrician broke ?
Good for you brother good for you!!
OK, let me type this slowly so some of you can follow. If his home is in foreclosure two dollars isn't going to even begin to put a dent in what he owes and if it gives him some hope then why not? Right now I'm betting his bank is adding more fees and penaltys to take advantage of his win. That's what banks do so not to worry about the poor defenseless banks, they'll get their pound of flesh and then some I'm sure.
As for him wasting the money. Seriously? College funds and Red Lobster. Huh. Yeah, that sounds severely wasteful to me. Maybe buy the kids a book and the girlfriends a Fillet O' Fish, eh? And do what with the rest? Oh. Yeah. GIVE IT TO THE FREAKING BANKS! 'Cause they don't have enough with charging people $15 a month just to have a checking account. Oh, and to the person who was SOOOooo worried about whether he had a plan to pay off his debts? Sounds like he has about a MILLION plans. Now off you go! Time for your Metamucil, it just might help your attitude.
Everyone, young or old, is responsible for his own financial management and some are better at it than others, especially the well disciplined. That's something that is learned and sometimes the hard way. People fall into bad financial habits that are destructive and a "Windfall" doesn't change that. I'm thinking that in five years he'll be back in financial trouble.
The article stated that Larry is hiring a financial adviser. Hopefully, that adviser will help Larry make wise decisions & make the small amount he won go as far as possible. I hope he hired a fee only financial planner & not some crook who works for commissions. Many of the ones working for commissions are only interested in growing their own bank accounts.
Cassandra. It gives us HOPE. That is something that is sorely needed these days. I hope this guy makes his dreams come true for him and his family. I wish it was me that won, but we all had a chance at this dream.