It is not uncommon for lottery winners to wait a couple of weeks and even months before claiming their prize, as they want to make sure they are ready for the changes ahead of them. The higher the prize, the more likely it is for the money to change something big in their lives so it makes perfect sense not to rush things by cashing in the money the very next day. On the other hand, the case of the $80 million Mega Millions jackpot winner who stepped forward one month after winning is different, because he had no clue that he just became a millionaire.
$80 million in his pocket
When he purchased the ticket one month ago at John’s Market, Dick Zelasko had no idea that he will win the $80 million Mega Millions jackpot. He plays the lottery regularly, but until now he never won more than double digit amounts, so it was a huge surprise for him to claim the jackpot. In fact, Dick was so use with the idea of purchasing tickets and not win anything that he didn’t even bother to check the numbers the very next day.
Instead, he took a vacation and spent some quality time with his friends, carrying the $80 million Mega Millions jackpot winning ticket on him all this time. One can only imagine the consequences of losing the wallet and the worst thing is that the one who would have found it could’ve easily claimed the jackpot for himself. Dick Zelasko didn’t sign the ticket as lottery officials instruct winners to do, for the simple reason that he didn’t know that he won the prize in the first place.
Ready for the good times
After enjoying his vacation and golf courses, the winner eventually decided to check the lottery ticket using a self-scanner. The message was promising to say the least as he was instructed to contact lottery officials, but not even this made him change his mind. Instead he delayed what should’ve been a priority and it took him several more days before he finally checked his numbers. What prompted him to do this was the lottery announcement that someone claimed a winning ticket at the same lottery vendor where he used to buy tickets.
Much to his surprise, he discovered that he had matched all winning numbers and as a result was the winner of the $80 million Mega Millions jackpot. The news took him by surprise and it took him a while before he finally accepted the fact that this is no joke but an interesting twist of fate. He finds this jackpot to be a just reward for being a loyal lottery customer and he plans on spending a portion of the windfall on purchasing a new car and home. He has no plans for the rest of the money, but told the media that will use his newfound fortune to enjoy the peace of mind brought by this jackpot.
Check out the Mega Millions winner claims $85 Million Jackpot as well.
About Jonathan White
Hi, my name is Johnathan and you can find me on Google+. I`m a freelance writer and one of the team of talented and faithful LotteryPros.com and LotteryCrunch.com contributors. Lottery is my hobby, inspiration and a favorite subject to write about. I do hope that my sincere posts will help you to become more rich and successful. Stay tuned!
