POWERBALL WINNERS THE WILSON FAMILY SCOOPED $254 MILLION

Popping into a Dierbergs store was the most profitable thing that ever happened to a local St Louis man. While there, Jim Wilson II, aged 84, decided to play Powerball with a $5 quick pick ticket that changed the fortunes of his and his family’s’ lives forever, as it happened to have the lucky Powerball numbers on it. The ticket, bought 60 minutes before the Powerball lottery sales closed, allowed him to hit the jackpot – big time! Fortunately for Mr Wilson the sales assistant mentioned that the store had some extra tickets. They had been printed out earlier in the day as a result of an increase in demand due to the huge prize fund. He bought the ticket which matched the six lucky Powerball numbers - 9, 19, 29, 42, 53 and the Powerball of 17, to bag Powerball Winners the Wilson Family their prize. To see whether any of these numbers make the list of the highest occuring in previous draws, our Powerball numbers statistics section can tell you.  

 

TEAM EFFORT

As a result of a long-term agreement Mr Wilson’s family will also share the $254 million Powerball Lotto jackpot. Jim Wilson, his wife, Shirley, 79, and their three grown sons – Jim Wilson III, 59, Bill Wilson, 54, and Terry Wilson, 53, all of St. Louis – have been buying family Powerball tickets for many years with an understanding that if one person won they would all share the winnings. “We all buy family Powerball tickets, but Mom and Dad only buy tickets when the jackpot gets high," said Terry Wilson.

 

"I think this is the first one he's bought in the last six months.”

 

 

LIFE-CHANGING NEWS FOR POWERBALL WINNERS THE WILSON FAMILY

Terry went on to say that he and his brothers found out they had matched the winning numbers from the Powerball results when their mother called each of the boys and told them all to come to their parents house at 5 p.m. Initially Terry thought it was bad news, "But she told me not to worry as it was good news.

He went on to say: “We all showed up around the same time, and we were talking about what it was, and I think it was my brother, Jim, who said, 'Wouldn't it be something if we won the Lottery?”

 

 

ADVICE

It took some time for the news to sink in after they were told that they had scooped the Powerball Lotto jackpot. The next step they took was to find professional advice. The family contacted a niece who used to work for the legal office of the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ). She suggested they call former IRS attorney, Tom Pliske, who is now a partner in the law firm of Gasaway, Stientjes LLC in Creve Coeur. Mr Pliske is also a certified public accountant (CPA). "The Wilson family was very sensible in seeking professional advice from the very start since as there are so many tax, investment and compliance issues to consider. Due to the large Powerball lottery jackpot involved, each decision the family made is truly worth millions to them in both the short and long run,” said Pliske.

They're not the only Powerball winners who decided to take financial advice after a big win. Louise White won $336.4 million in February 2012 and waited nearly a month to come forward while seeking advice.

 

 

HARD YEAR

According to Terry Wilson, the win came after a difficult period for two of the brothers, who both lost their jobs. Earlier in the year Terry was forced to retire from the company where he had been employed for the past 32 years. Around the same time, the firm Bill Wilson worked for closed down.

 

Bill found a new job working in heating and air conditioning for a St. Louis school. The elder Jim Wilson is a retired electrician and World War II veteran. He had been a building electrician for the federal government and for St. Louis County. Shirley Wilson was a homemaker.

  

 

PLANS FOR POWERBALL WINNERS THE WILSON FAMILY

Terry said he doesn’t know what each family member plans to do with their share of the Powerball Lotto jackpot. "My children will be taken care of," said Terry. "I haven't been on a holiday in almost 30 years or so. I've always wanted to go to Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef. "None of it has really settled in," he explained. These Powerball winners have also made history in the process. It is the largest ever jackpot won in the Missouri Lottery's 21-year tenure. In addition it is also the seventh-largest Powerball Lotto jackpot awarded in the USA and the 10th largest prize in the entire world won with a single ticket! It will however be subject to Missouri lottery tax.

Dierberg's, the department store where the Wilsons got their lucky Powerball numbers, will receive a healthy $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The store which sold 2013 winner of $149.4 million, Paul White his winning ticket also received a $50,000 bonus.