I landed a $2.64 million jackpot after finishing a round of golf – but only won because of my wife’s old phone number

A LUKCY lottery player was shocked when he won a multi-million dollar jackpot after trying for over three decades.

Kevin Connor of Leicester, Massachusetts — just west of Worcester — won the $2.64 million Megabucks jackpot on Saturday, August 24.

Massachusetts State Lottery

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However, the person responsible for the win is his wife, CBS News reported.

This is because she is a major inspiration for all the lottery tickets he has bought in the more than 30 years he has played.

“He plays a combination that consists of his wife’s old landline number from when they first started dating, as well as his wife’s favorite number,” lottery officials told the outlet.

On Saturday, the couple finally won when they scooped the top prize.

Connor purchased the ticket as part of his usual lottery routine after playing golf at the Hillcrest Country Club.

The winning numbers were: 5, 6, 8, 9, 24, 32.

Connor told lottery officials he was in Maine with the family for the weekend when he realized he had won big.

After Saturday’s draw, he checked the lottery app and his life changed when Connor beat the odds of one in 7,059,052 to win the top prize.

However, he had a tough decision to make before he could take the cash home to his wife.

Winners of large lottery prizes have to decide if they want to take home a lesser lump sum after taxes or the full amount.

Those who choose the latter will accept their cash in a series of annual payments where taxes are deducted each year.

Connor took the most popular option of taking home the lump-sum prize of $1.8 million before tax.

Around “90% of all lottery winners take the lump sum distribution,” Lottery lawyer Andrew Stoltmann previously told The U.S. Sun .

Last week, a lottery player in Michigan who won a $4 million jackpot chose to sacrifice over $1 million to immediately receive the cash.

Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?

Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?

The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.

Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.

Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.

Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.

Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.

Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity .

However, despite the popularity of this option, Stoltmann who has represented what he calls “lottery losers” says it is a “pretty big mistake.”

The lawyer claims that this is because the majority of lottery players do not have adequate economic support for such an influx of funds.

This means that “they just don’t really know what to do with that” money which often means they end up losing it.

However, Connor already has plans for his windfall.

“He said he plans on using some of his winnings to pay for his children’s college tuition and buy himself some new socks,” lotto bosses revealed.

The country club where Connor bought the lucky ticket will also earn a bonus of $26,400.

Meanwhile, a raft of lottery players in the same state have been urged to check their tickets as almost 30 prizes go unclaimed .

One is set to expire in a matter of days.

The U.S. Sun previously covered the story of another player who spent $25 million to guarantee an even bigger win.

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.