Powerball Winner Ted Baumgartner

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APRIL FOOLS JACKPOT WIN FOR POWERBALL WINNER TED BAUMGARTNER

It was no laughing matter as Powerball Winner Ted Baumgartner told his family he was a lottery winner on April Fools’ Day! As he didn’t discover his win until April 1st, his family thought he was having a little joke at their expense. Mr Baumgartner won the $50 million Powerball reward in the March 30th 2013 draw with the winning numbers 11, 23, 26, 27, 46, 55 and Powerball of 4. His mother, daughter and brother all thought he was having a bit of fun until he arrived at his brother’s car-repair business with the winning ticket clutched in his hand.

To see how Ted’s lucky numbers have fared in previous draws, you can do so by putting them into our Powerball results checker, which will show you how often those numbers have won a prize in the past.

WINNING VIBES FOR POWERBALL WINNER TED BAUMGARTNER

While driving to the furniture store where worked for the past three years as a furniture repair specialist, Mr Baumgartner was listening to the radio. It was reported that a $50 million Powerball grand prize ticket had been sold in Freeport just a few days earlier, on Saturday. “I had a strong hunch then and there that I was the winner,” said the lucky winner. “I mean, anything’s possible.”

About an hour into his shift at Ingrassia Interior Elements in Rockford, Mr Baumgartner decided to check his Quick Pick lottery ticket against the Powerball results and discovered he was, indeed, an historic instant multi-millionaire. Being the sole winner of the largest Powerball prize ever awarded in Illinois propelled him to this extraordinary status. His bosses found out that he was a Powerball winner before his family as he immediately went to them to break the incredible news and showed them the winning ticket. “I worked for another hour or so, tying up some loose ends, and then I said, ‘that’s it, I’m done.’ I may end up forfeiting a portion of my last paycheque,” Baumgartner said generously “but that’s OK.”
Kevin Carlson won a $71.5 million Powerball prize in December 2013 and also chose to retire immediately.

POWERBALL WINNER TED BAUMGARTNER’S FAMILY WOULDN’T BELIEVE HIM

Thereafter texts and phone calls to family members telling them about his lucky Powerball numbers were met with, given the date, perhaps not surprising resistance. It took 2 texts and a phone call to persuade his daughter he was telling the truth! Similar calls to other family members followed the same pattern until eventually they had all seen the winning Powerball lottery Quick Pick ticket for themselves.

It’s not uncommon for people to find lottery wins hard to believe. Mary and Brian Lohse won $202.1 million in September 2012 and Brian was convinced his wife was playing a joke on him when she tried to tell him the good news.

POWERBALL WINNER TED BAUMGARTNER’S PLANS

The Powerball winners future plans for his newly acquired wealth are low key to say the least. Sensibly he has met with a financial advisor, and has decided to invest most of his prize money in safe investments that yield dependable annual returns. His most extravagant purchase for himself will be a new house that includes a few acres of hunting land. “I’m going to create my own, miniature Duck Dynasty,” he said, a reference to the popular cable TV show.

Other purchases thanks to his lucky Powerball numbers may include a new car – possibly a Dodge Challenger – and, at some point, a small fishing boat could also be on the cards. Mr Baumgartner also intends to buy the house he currently rents and gift it to his 68-year-old mother, Lauretta, who is retired and currently lives in a Freeport apartment.

FAMILY HEIRLOOM

The Powerball winner and father of three, is looking to help his children. Daughter Laura, 22, and her husband, Zach, will see the mortgage on their modest, 4-bedroom house paid off. Daughter Emily, 19, a college student, will be bought a new 4-door sedan and son Tedd, 16, will get to drive a family heirloom – 1952 Chevy pickup truck that has been in the family for three generations. Thanks to Ted’s Powerball lottery Quick Pick win, it will be restored to mint condition.

The truck belonged to his wife, Janine’s, family. Mr Baumgartner lost his wife to ovarian cancer 3 years ago. In her honour he intends to make a generous contribution to help fund research into finding a cure for this “silent killer”.

Maureen and Stephen Hinckley won a $122.9 million Powerball jackpot in December 2013 and had their kids at the top of their thoughts as well following their life changing win.

EVERYONE WINS

Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones urged all lottery winners – past and future – to read the advice published on its website: “The Lottery has a special section on its website providing advice to major prize winners seeking effective counsel and planning for large prizes. He went on to say “I hope the Baumgartners will invite me to take a spin in their restored 1952 Chevy pickup…my grandfather had a similar pickup that he would use to drive the grandchildren to his country store.”

Surrounded by his family, Mr Baumgartner was presented with an oversized, commemorative check at the Shell Express Lane store in Freeport (1736 S. West Ave) where the winning Powerball Quick Pick ticket was purchased. For selling the ticket, the store will be paid a $500,000 selling bonus incentive, the largest bonus any Lottery retailer can receive for selling a single ticket.

The Powerball jackpot reward will be delivered in a one-time payment of $31 million. After taxes that will amount to around $22 million. Not bad for (an April Fools’) days earnings!
If you want to check your own numbers to see if you have bagged a prize, then you can do so by using our Powerball results checker.