SWEET CASH
‘It was probably the coolest moment,’ says $50,000 lottery scratch-off winner but then he couldn’t keep whole prize
Two $1 million lottery prizes are up for grabs from the same state
DURING a snack run, a young man was shocked to win $50,000 on an instant scratch-off ticket.
Hunter Rodibaugh from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said he spontaneously bought his winning lotto ticket while picking up some soft drinks.
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The 23-year-old car salesman said he purchased a Mountain Dew and a Pepsi before the cashier asked if he wanted anything else.
"I just looked over and said the first card that popped into mind," he told Iowa Lottery chiefs.
He picked the Monopoly 20X scratch-off game and paid $5 for a ticket.
Rodibaugh said what followed was, "probably the coolest moment I've ever had in my entire life."
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SHELL SHOCKED
He won the second top prize of $50,000 and shocked his parents when he informed them through a video he sent.
They almost didn't believe him since Rodibaugh identifies as a prankster, plus the odds of winning $50,000 were one in 125,790.
"They called me back and were like, 'Are you kidding? Are you messing with us?'" Rodibaugh said.
He insisted he was serious and told them he scanned the Iowa Lottery mobile app for proof.
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Rodibaugh said he plans to pay off student loans with his winnings and buy a set of golf clubs.
He also wants to make an emergency fund, but the winner didn't get to keep the entire $50,000.
Edwin Castro dons iconic flips flops to get work done at body shop on $400,000 Porsche as lottery ticket fight continues
TAXED CASH
Lottery winners across the US must grapple with strict tax restrictions on their prizes.
In Rodibaugh's case, he automatically had to forfeit a considerable amount.
By state law, Iowa withholds 5% of lottery prizes over $600 according to the Iowa Lottery.
That instantly knocked off $2,500 from Rodibaugh's $50,000 prize.
Top five biggest lottery winner
Lottery winners lives can change overnight if they come up trumps on the game of chance. The U.S. Sun takes a look at the five largest jackpots that have been won.
- Edwin Castro won $2.04 billion on the Powerball in a draw dating back to November 2022. He opted to take the lump sum, which meant his prize was cut to $997.6 million.
- A group of winners bought a Powerball ticket worth $1.765 billion in October 2023 and Theodorus Struyck was named as their representative.
- A Mega Millions prize worth $1.6 billion was claimed in
- Florida in December 2023. The ticket was bought at a Publix store in Neptune Beach and the draw dated back to August 2023. The winner was identified as Saltines Holdings LLC.
- Three Powerball-winning tickets worth $1.586 billion were sold at stores in California, Tennessee, and Melbourne Beach, Florida, ahead of a draw in January 2016.
- One player scooped a whopping $1.537 billion in October 2018 after playing the Mega Millions in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
Lotto players who win over $5,000 must fork up even more cash.
Rodibaugh had to forfeit 24% of his prize for federal tax deductions.
Ultimately, he was left with $35,500 instead of $50,000.
LOTTO NEWS
Lottery players in Minnesota might want to check their old tickets.
Two Minnesota Millionaire Raffle prizes totaling $2 million remain unclaimed.
The deadline for both winners to come forward is December 31, 2024.
One ticket was bought at a Corborn's food store in Delano, while the other was sold at a Dundas Kwik Trip convenience store.
Both locations are small towns on the outskirts of Minneapolis.
Read More on The US Sun
One Powerball player thought he was having a heart attack when he won $1 million.
Meanwhile, read details about the lives of major lottery winners.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling online.
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