The pick? Quick. The payout? That’ll take time to sink in.
Posted on October 18th, 2010
All six numbers matched the lottery ticket he was grasping in his East Manatee home on Oct. 6, and he and his wife, Cheri, were suddenly multi-millionaires.
The Bradenton couple initially thought they had won a healthy $20 million, but a few hours later they received an uplifting correction from a family member.
The Zieglers were actually the sole winners of a $61.5 million multi-state Powerball jackpot.
After they presented the winning ticket, the Florida Lottery distributed a single, lump-sum amount of $34,553,793 into a trust account the couple set up, according to a press release.
The Zieglers’ prize numbers stemmed from a Quick Pick ticket printed out the Hess Express at the intersection of State Road 64 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.
“I saw on the first line of numbers that we had matched three numbers, then four, then five, and I wondered how much that would pay,” said Steve Ziegler, 46, according to the Lottery statement. “Then I saw we also matched the Powerball, at which point my wife said I went pale.”
The Zieglers had the choice of taking a one-time payout of $34.5 million or annual payments of $2 million over 30 years.
The couple live in the Greyhawk Landing subdivision in East Manatee; a news crew truck from Tampa was parked outside Tuesday afternoon, though the couple were nowhere to be seen.
Neighbors said Steve Ziegler works at a tile company but they were unclear about his wife’s occupation.
Neighbor Jim Lohnes said he and his wife were surprised and happy for the Zieglers.
“You go one day of just doing your job and then you have this piece of paper that just changes everything,” he said. “They’re just good folks, and it’s just nice that if anyone wins, they do.”
Cheri Ziegler, 44, told Florida Lottery officials they always purchased tickets at the Hess Express because it is a busy location.
“I told my husband, ‘That place is a gold mine,’” she said. “Days later, we bought the jackpot-winning Powerball ticket there.”
The Hess owner was also awarded $40,000 for selling the winning ticket.
Most winners take the cash option, said Taylor Owens, Florida Lottery spokeswoman.
This win is believed to be the biggest in Sarasota or Manatee counties since the state lottery began in 1988.
Florida joined the Powerball lottery in January 2009, and 20 Floridians have won a million or more since then.
Almost $4 billion per year is spent in Florida on lottery tickets.
The next Powerball drawing will be held at 10:59 p.m. today with a $46 million jackpot.
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