Unemployed truck driver wins lottery [Video]

Maryland Lottery officials say an unemployed truck driver from who has been laid off twice since November has won $1.2 million.

47-year-old Bryan Boushell was on his way to recycle aluminum cans to raise gas money when he stopped by a convenience store and spent $3 on what proved to be a fateful investment.

“There was a customer and I was telling him I was the one who sold the ticket,” said Syed Wahid, a convenience store clerk. “And he said, ‘That’s me!’ And I said, ‘Are you serious?’”

Boushell says the first call he made was to his wife, Donna. She says when she realized how much they had won, she began to cry.

“Went out to my truck and got the ticket and checked it and like one of those people you see on game shows — bouncing off the walls,” said Boushell.

Still, Boushell says he’s eager to get back to work. “I want to get back in a truck. I’m more happy in a truck,” he said.

They plan to take the $750,000 cash option and will end up with about $500,000 after taxes.

Read more and watch this story: Local Unemployed Truck Driver Elated After Jackpot Win

Mother uses tragedy to win lottery [Video]

It’s a big win for a woman with big family.

“I never thought I’d win,” Phyllis Canady said.

Phyllis takes care of her grown children along with their little ones. Making life more difficult, her oldest son Markey was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2005 and now Phyllis helps with some of his six children.

“I’m not going to says it’s been easy because it’s not,” she said. “It’s been hard, but it’s just day by day.”

It was about time her lucky number came up, and this week it did. Five lucky numbers.

“My baby’s 17, my daughter’s 20, my son is 22, my oldest daughter’s 25 and my deceased son is 29,” Phyllis explained.

Her numbers perfectly matched Sunday’s Badger 5 and Phyllis won the $211,000 grand prize.

She’s already got a plan for the money. Phyllis said her son dreamed of building his mother a house before he died.

“I think God has really blessed me because he knows I’ve been struggling,” said Phyllis. “Now I can get the house he wanted me to have. If God were to take me today, at least I could say my grandkids have a place to go.”

Read more and watch this story: Murdered Man’s Mom Wins Lottery

Boy wins rights to tropical island in lottery

My readers are apparently  in a lottery mood today. Here is a recommended story from another reader.

A 4-year-old boy has won the use of an uninhabited tropical island, with white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters, in a Taiwan lottery aimed at boosting spending during an economic downturn.

Officials said Yeh Chien-wei, who won the prize at Thursday’s draw, will get exclusive rights to the tiny plot in the Taiwan Strait from May through September.

Penghu County, an offshore archipelago, will provide food, drinks, water and electricity to the boy. He has been quoted in local media saying he wants to play in the sea.

“Penghu has a lot of islands, and that one has water and electricity, so someone can really enjoy it,” said county economic promotion official Lu Yan-chang, explaining why use of the island, which also has a cabin, was offered as a prize.

Penghu, which comprises 64 islands, is known for its beautiful beaches and water sports.

According to the terms of the prize, the boy and up to seven family members can visit the island five times, for trips that last a maximum of three days.

Read more: Boy wins rights to tropical island in lottery

 

Discarded lottery ticket wins man $1,000 [Video]

Here is a really interesting story from a reader.

Joe White rarely buys his own lottery ticket.  Instead, he relies on other people to do it for him.  “People throw money away all the time,“ said White.  Day after day he spends hours sifting through discarded lottery tickets.  “Might as well just go get some tickets and enter them online,“ said White.  White knows what many don’t know.  Every instant lottery ticket is eligible to be re-entered on http://www.tnlottery.com for another cash prize.

On any given day there could be up to 80 discarded lottery tickets in the lottery ticket trash bin at Ravi Patel’s 7 Star Stop in Johnson City.  White goes around to about 7 convenience stores every day, which means he has the potential of getting over 500 tickets a day.  “I’ve got four shoe boxes full on one day,“ said White. 

Read more and watch this story: Discarded Lottery Ticket Wins Man $1,000