The town of Simpsonville, South Carolina was overjoyed back in October, after a $1.5 billion Mega Millions ticket was confirmed to have been sold from at the KC Mart #7, a local convenience store.
Yet here we are, nearly three months later, and nobody has claimed the largest single payout in United States history. The hopes of this jackpot "putting the town on the map", as mayor Janice Curtis hoped, seem to be fading with each day that goes by without the prize being claimed.
Holli Armstrong, a spokeswoman for the state lottery and expert in stating the obvious said: “This is unusual, considering that it’s $1.5 billion.”
On October 23, the numbers were announced and the winner still has until late April – 180 days from the announcement – to collect. If it isn't redeemed by then, the Mega Millions website states that “each participating state in the Mega Millions game will get back all the money that state contributed to the unclaimed jackpot.” A follow up article says that the states will then be "able to appropriate that money for a variety of purposes", which realistically probably means it'll be squandered and never seen again.
The no-show has many people trying to speculate as to why the winner has not come forward: is it anxiety? Are they trying to get everything in order before claiming such a massive amount of money? Is it possible that the ticket could be lost?
Given that there is never a shortage of stories about lottery winners who subsequently blow through their winnings, perhaps this winner has sought out reputable advice from a lawyer and/or a financial advisor. The Washington Post had previously reported on several lottery winners who say that the lottery has caused more harm than good.
There are myriad self-inflicted problems that can befall a person who suddenly comes into great wealth. One bought a water park, for example. Several others have gambled their winnings away, including a two-time lottery winner who ended up living in a trailer.
Billie Bob Harrell Jr., who won $31 million in 1997, told his financial adviser shortly before his suicide that “winning the lottery is the worst thing that ever happened to me.”
Somewhat similarly, a $560 million Powerball winner in New Hampshire earlier this year went to a judge to try to allow her to remain anonymous before collecting her jackpot. However, state law required her name to be disclosed.
“She wishes to continue this work and the freedom to walk into a grocery store or attend public events without being known or targeted as the winner of a half-billion dollars,” her attorney had written on her behalf.
Regardless, if someone gets to squander the money pointlessly, we hope some South Carolinian gets to gold plate their home, build their dream water park or buy a helicopter instead of watching the government burn through the cash. Spending: it's the American way.