WINNER WINNER
Lottery player beats the odds to scoop $1 million prize from $30 scratch-off but then instantly loses over $300,000
The player wasn't the only one excited about his win
A WISCONSIN man is $1 million richer after beating the odds of a scratch-off game.
The $30 lottery ticket proved to be a great investment, but the winner didn't get to keep all the cash.
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Shawn Flyte of Milton, Wisconsin - around 36 miles from Madison - won a life-changing prize after purchasing a $30 Super Millions scratch-off.
Flyte bought the lucky ticket at Casey’s General Store on 464 South John Paul Road in Milton.
He wasn't the only one thrilled about the prize.
“We are all very excited about this win,” Casey's store manager Heidi Rutdnitzki told lottery officials.
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“As far as I know, it’s the biggest winning ticket we’ve ever sold. It’s amazing.”
Before Flyte's win, the biggest winning ticket Casey's sold since 2017 was a $25,000 Badger 5 prize.
Because his prize was over $599, Casey's will receive a 2% Retailer Performance Winning Ticket Incentive from the Wisconsin lottery totaling $20,000.
Flyte claimed his prize at the Madison Lottery office in early April but didn't get to take home the entire cash amount.
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Prizes of $5,001 or more are subjected to a 7.65% state tax and a 24% federal tax.
Assuming Flyte opted for a lump sum payment, he would have lost $316,500 to taxes.
Lottery winner blasts $1million prize as ‘worst thing that ever happened to me’ – he was left with just $97 in account
If he chose an annuity, his taxes would be applied to each annual payment as received.
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Flyte scored the second of three top prizes in the Super Millions scratch-off game.
A player who purchased their winning ticket at Mega Holiday in Eau Claire won the first top prize in March.
One top prize remains for the game.
Top lottery winners in the US
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro - $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck - $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
- Unknown winner - $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida - $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
- Unknown winner - $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Unknown winner - he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden - $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown winner - $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan, and Laiza Liem Chao - $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Alvarez - $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club - $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Unknown winner - $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.
Flyte beat the low odds of one in 160,000 by winning one of the three top prizes in the game.
Super Millions was launched on January 26 and has prizes from $30 to $1 million.
To play the $30 instant scratch game, lottery participants must match their numbers to one of the super numbers, winning the corresponding prizes.
The overall odds of winning any prize are one in 3.3.
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Responsible gambling
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
- National Council on Problem Gambling – https://www.ncpgambling.org/
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700 or go to ncpgambling.org/chat
In related news, a lottery player won $15 million from a scratch-off ticket but lost $9.6 million by answering a common question.
Plus, a mathematician shares a lotto strategy that makes you "less likely to split a prize" and it’s not picking your own numbers.