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A Simple Choice Can Change Everything. This Is Exactly What Happened to Millionaire Kelly Lindsey, Resident of Carrollton in the United States. When She Stopped at a Race Way Carrollton Gas Station to Buy a Lottery Ticket, She Chose a Scratch Card with Her Lucky Numbers. However, the Seller Handed Her a Different Ticket.
The ticket that millionaire Kelly accidentally purchased was for the Money Blitz game, a lottery with extremely low odds of winning the jackpot: just 1 in 1,142,400. Against all odds, she ended up taking home the largest prize possible: 2 million dollars, equivalent to R$ 11,561,500 at the current exchange rate.
How the New Millionaire Received the Prize
Upon winning the lottery prize, Kelly had to choose between two payment options:
- Installment Payment: receive the 2 million dollars in annual installments over 30 years.
- Lump Sum Payment: withdraw 1.25 million dollars at once, but at a reduced amount.
To Ensure Immediate Access to the Money, Kelly chose the lump sum payment.
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A Brazilian would need almost five minimum wages combined to support a family with dignity, according to the calculation by Dieese, which indicates R$ 7,612.49 as necessary for a family of four, while the official minimum wage does not exceed R$ 1,621.
The choice to receive a smaller amount upfront is common among lottery winners. This happens because many prefer to have the money available immediately rather than wait for payments over decades.
Additionally, installment prizes may be subject to changes in lottery policies and even different future taxes.
Taxes and Reduction of Received Amount
Although the prize seems huge, a significant portion was deducted in taxes. In the United States, lottery prizes are subject to deductions at both federal and state levels. In the case of the new millionaire, the deductions were:
- Federal Tax: 24% of the total amount, equivalent to 300 thousand dollars.
- State Tax: 4% of the total amount, equivalent to 50 thousand dollars.
After all deductions, the net amount received by Kelly was approximately 900 thousand dollars. While it is still an impressive sum, it is far from the initially announced 2 million.
The Impact of the Lottery on the Community
The Virginia Lottery plays a fundamental role in the state’s economy. According to Governor Glenn Youngkin, in the last fiscal year, the lottery raised 934 million dollars, which represents about 10% of the state budget allocated to K-12 education.
Kelly lives in Isle of Wight County, one of the regions benefiting from the lottery funds. Since 2023, more than 3.7 million dollars have been invested in educational projects and school infrastructure in the county. This means that, in addition to changing the life of the new millionaire, the lottery has a direct impact on the community.
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