$21.6 Million Lotto America Jackpot Has Been Won
Thursday July 11th 2019A Lotto America jackpot of $21.6 million has been won in Minnesota. The jackpot win ends over a year of rollovers, since a player from Iowa took home the top prize in May 2018.
The $21.6 million jackpot was won on Wednesday, July 10th, on a ticket bought from a Holiday gas station in Ramsey, 27 miles northwest of Minneapolis; the winner came forward only two days later, on July 12th, to collect their winnings. Jeffrey Love, of Elk River in Sherburne County, matched all five main numbers and the Star ball to claim the top prize. The numbers for the July 10th Lotto America draw were 16, 22, 32, 36, 42 and a Star Ball of 8, with an All Star Bonus of 3x.
Love had visited a lottery retailer on his Friday morning commute to work, in order to check his Lotto America numbers. The scanner he used informed him he needed to contact the Minnesota Lottery to claim his prize - his first clue that he had won a substantial amount of money. It was only when he used his phone to check his numbers that he realised he had won the jackpot.
Checked Lotto America Ticket “Eight or Ten Times”
He described the moment he discovered his fortune: “When I compared the winning numbers to my ticket, they matched exactly. I called [my wife] and said, ‘We have a situation.’” Together, Jefferey and his wife Vicky checked the ticket “eight or ten times” before calling their respective workplaces to explain they’d be needing the day off.
The Loves wasted no time in claiming their Lotto America jackpot; they visited the Roseville office of the Minnesota Lottery that same day to stake their claim. The office had a special significance for Jeffrey, as it was on his commute to work: “I drive by the lottery office every day on my way to work and always say, ‘One day… one day.’”
The lucky couple did not reveal whether they would be receiving their jackpot prize as an annuity or a lump sum. The advertised $21.6 million jackpot is the annuity value, and would be paid out in 30 instalments over 29 years; the cash value is $14 million, which would amount to $9.8 million after taxes.
Lotto America Jackpot History
It is the third jackpot to be won since Lotto America was rebooted in November 2017, and the second-largest so far. The biggest Lotto America jackpot was also won in Minnesota, on March 14th 2018. Debbie Kujava bought her ticket from Holiday Stationstores in Roseau, on her way home from work; she shared the $22.8 million windfall with her brother Dennis.
The jackpot was last won on May 5th, 2018, by Chuck Anderson of Davenport, IA. He won $4.3 million after receiving a free Lotto America ticket when he bought a Powerball entry on the same day.
Latest News