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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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I LOVE hearing that someone who needs the money gets it. I hope it improves his life for the better! Good luck and be happy.
Sounds like a good guy.
Sadly college doesn't always get you a job in today's world.
Spend it, have fun! You're going to be dead someday anyway, why leave it to Uncle Obama.
Tony (first comment on first page) - you are a jerk. I hope you have bad karma forever. #uSUCKA!
Good for him hiring a financial advisor, that is a very smart thing to do. As to the "oh nop he was in forclosure and he bought a lottery ticket" argument - what nonsense! Two bucks would NOT have saved his home! Ever heard the expression "nothing left to lose"? Well, that's about where most people in forclosure are at. Good for him! Bad on the sour grapes people!
Congratulations to Larry Chandler on winning that million dollars.
Now for my 2 cents. The fact that a licensed electrician facing foreclosure would be buying lottery tickets out of desperation is one example of what's wrong with Obama's recovery. People are getting jobs alright, but a great deal of those jobs are temporary gigs that only pay $10/hr. In the meanwhile, the Financial Media keeps telling us how the economy is "recovering" because of rising house prices. Have any of those financial analysts ever tried to pay a mortgage on a $10/hr job?
What I'd like to know is, If poor or unemployed people can pool together $500 mil to create a handful of millionaires, why couldn't we wise up to the lottery scam and pool $500 mil for something more productive? Things like small farms that employ Americans, apprenticeships for Americans wanting to learn a trade, or small factories employing Americans to produce things like clothes and furniture. A half billion dollars can easily create hundreds of middle class jobs.
Good for him!
Good for you, Dude! Wish it was me. Best to you and your family!
I'm glad that someone who really needed the money won some! CONGRATULATIONS! He's a smart cooking setting up meetings with a tax adviser and financial planner instead of running out to blow it all. Very smart! Everyone who wins a big pot of moolah should the same.
@Opinionated Smurf - Has it even occurred to you that the fact that you bought a "really good stereo system" while you were underwater on your mortgage was a bad idea? Check out Maslow's heirarchy of needs sometime...you just might find that shelter should likely come before a Bose speaker system...
Congratulations to him and it sounds like he's going to be smart with his winnings.
I hope the financial planner tells him that first he needs to live up to his financial obligations and pay off the mortgage on that foreclosure that he's dumped on the bank (and ultimately the taxpayer). Then he can move back in and take care of place because that will make his neighbors happy. Then he also needs to get current on all property taxes and late penalties like a big boy.
Okay, now WHY is it that he dumped a house he could be making payments on with his union electrician wages...? Yup, he'll blow through this million in no time.
Indiana is a right to work state.
By Susan Guyett
INDIANAPOLIS | Wed Feb 1, 2012 5:29pm EST
(Reuters) - Indiana became the 23rd state to pass anti-union "right-to-work" legislation on Wednesday and the first in the nation's manufacturing heartland, dealing a blow to organized labor by allowing workers to opt out of paying union dues.
Ya know, this could be his only vice. $2 dollars in lotto ticks, jeez people.
Congrats young man, live it up!
Good for him!! I'm happy to see average people who are working hard and struggling to make ends meet get a bonus like this. In the trades, there's just not a lot of jobs out there on a regular basis. I agree to invest it wisely because there are scammers out there to take him and it will go very quickly. Congratulations!
Way to go Larry!! Now invest it wisely it is a gift from God. Be wise and smart :) Congratulations Larry!!
Please please please be wise with the money!! Pay off bills, put some in an untouchable account for the future and go back to school ! Good luck.
Congratulations Larry Chandler. I suggest you also get a new hat. :-)
I love when people who need the money win.we all know we wish it was us. i mean who dont want a peice of the amercian dream..cograts to you guy an best of luck......
He's probably spent about $10,000 in lottery tickets across the course of his life which could have paid for probably a year's worth or more of mortgage payments.
Calling buying lottery tickets a "good investment" is not at all a sound financial planning strategy for 99.999999% of players.
In 3 years or less he'll be right where he was the day before he bought the winning ticket.
Very happy for my fellow Hoosier! It's good to see it happen to someone who could really really use it and who will hopefully appreciate it. Enjoy!
I am glad someone won $1 million that needed it to pay some bills. Enjoy but not to much. Put half of it away after taxes for the future and you won't have to worry about retirement later, or at least you shouldn't go broke it you spend wisely. Of course just don't trust any financial advisors that wants to sell you something. Bettter to be conservative than aggressive and loose it all to Wall Street.
at least someone that really needs it won God bless you and yours be carefull with it
I hope he stopped at his mortgage company to pay what he owes on his way to Red Lobster. What a great story at a great time of year!
Way to go, Larry Chandler!! I'm happy for you! Ignore any negative or jealous posters on here, be careful with your winnings, and be sure to pay off ALL of your financial obligations, including the mortage on that foreclosure.
Congrats. Hire that tax adviser and invest that money. You don't want to get in another jam like you were in.
Congrats dude looks like you needed it. If it were me , I would pay my bills and head for the hills before the beggar posse comes a callin'