Minnesota Dad Wins $149.4 Million Powerball Prize
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Paul White of Ham Lake, Minn., was one of three Powerball winners from the drawing on Aug. 7, 2013. (mnlottery/Twitter)(ROSEVILLE, Minn.) — Paul White, from Ham Lake, Minn., wasted no time in coming forward Thursday to claim his share of a whopping $448 million Powerball jackpot.
“It’s crazy,” White said at a news conference Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis. “I’ve gone through this in my head so many times and now it’s coming true.”
White, who works for an electrical contractor, is one of three winners and will split the jackpot, one of the largest in lottery history. Two winning ticket holders in New Jersey have not yet come forward.
White opted to take the cash payout and was presented Thursday with a pre-tax check for $149.4 million.
He joked that at a recent family gathering to celebrate his father’s 80th birthday, he and his siblings played a game with hypothetical questions that included whose financial plan was to “win the lottery.”
“Everyone picked me,” White said, laughing. “Who’s right now?”
White, who is divorced, said he plans to pursue charitable endeavors, help his parents and let his 16-year-old son pick out his dream car.
The winning numbers in Wednesday’s drawing were 58-5-25-59-30 and powerball 32.
Holiday, in Ham Lake, where White purchased the lucky ticket, will receive a $50,000 bonus, according to lottery officials.
Winning tickets in New Jersey were sold at the Super Stop ‘n Shop in South Brunswick and Acme Markets in Little Egg Harbor.
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