84 year old wins slot jackpot

THL · 04-19-2006, 21:52 PM

This is awesome.

Quote:

Widow, 84, Wins Record $10M Slot Jackpot
By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer
52 minutes ago

For 84-year-old Josephine Crawford, the golden years just got a lot more golden. About to call it quits after a night playing slot machines, the Galloway Township widow hit a $10 million jackpot late Tuesday, the biggest in the history of casino gambling here.

The retired waitress knew when the nickel slot machine's bells went off that she'd won something but didn't know what. When a slot attendant at Harrah's Atlantic City casino told her it was $10,010,113.48, she didn't believe him.

"I said, 'Oh, come on.' But he just stood there and I figured, why is he staying there?" she said Wednesday.

Crawford, who has been gambling in Atlantic City casinos since the first one opened in 1978, had never won more than $1,000 at a time before. She still hadn't decided Wednesday whether to take the money in a 25-year annuity or in a lump-sum payment of more than $5.5 million, but she has 21 days to make that call.

Either way, she's not planning a spending spree.

Crawford, a petite, gray-haired great-grandmother, lives with her daughter, drives a 2006 Honda Civic and has no plans to buy a new car or a new house. But she's always wanted to see Italy, where her parents grew up, and she wants to share the wealth with her two daughters, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

"Somehow, I'll spend it. I'll spend it at the casino, and I might go to Vegas," said Crawford, who spent 27 years waiting on tables before retiring in 1992.

The jackpot was won on Megabucks, a progressive slot machine linked to hundreds of others in Atlantic City's 12 casinos. With progressive slot machines, a portion of each bet goes toward the citywide jackpots, which start at $1 million.

The previous biggest Atlantic City jackpot was $8.5 million in 1994.

Crawford, who gambles in Atlantic City casinos twice a week, had never won more than $1,000 before.

She was playing alongside granddaughter Alicia Weeks, 27, when they tried to find an open Wheel of Fortune machine. They couldn't, and were headed to their hotel room when Weeks saw the red numbers on a Megabucks machine's jackpot marquee blinking $10 million. She suggested they try it.

"She said, `Oh, that's a nickel machine. I don't want to play,'" the granddaughter recalled.

But they did. After spending about $20 with no luck, Weeks suggested they move on. Crawford said no, she wanted to play $20 more. She was down to her last $5 in credits when she hit.

"I'm just happy I won it, for my family — although they don't need any help," said Crawford, who celebrated with family members in a dinner at the casino. She had one glass of wine.

It didn't take long for word of her luck to spread. Three men proposed to her after she won.

"Their wives were there, too!" said Crawford. "One of them told me, 'You can have him.'"

Jay · 04-19-2006, 22:05 PM

And I'm slogging 50 hours a week for peanuts compared to this grandma

**Parihaka** · 04-19-2006, 22:37 PM

Bless her

Blademaster · 04-20-2006, 15:23 PM

I bet her grandchildren or children are esctatic because she's 84 years old and can croak at anytime. If she was smart, she would immediately create a trust fund for the money that she won and designate the trustees as to avoid any relative bickering over the money.

Believe me, you do not want to be caught between relatives bickering over money. It is one of the most nastiest and cruelest fights you can be in. Nobody wins and the only one gains the most are lawyers and that's not even much because lawyers have to constantly worry about malpractice suits because the relatives are usually disgruntled always thinking that they should have gotten more or the lawyers were out there to screw them.

Hell if I was 84 years old, i know that I would die someday too so I would start a separate trust fund for each of my child and grandchildren. I would start that now before I hear some long lost distant relative come calling and claim, "I've found my long loved ones. My ma missed ya" with grainy old photos and usual crap.

Greed knows no bounds.

Amled · 04-20-2006, 16:27 PM

Being 84 years old I'd give that 25-year annuity a pass and take the 5,5 million.
Way-the-go lady! Enjoy!

gunnut · 04-20-2006, 16:41 PM

So the lump sum, after tax total will be...let me guess...$3 million, if she's lucky.

Erin Brokovich sold her story for $2 million and received a check for $900k.

Not to take this on a tangent, but we tax too much, especially on the high income earners.

04-19-2006, 22:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jay Tamizhanban *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-06-03 Location: Edison, NJ Posts: 6,345 Country:	And I'm slogging 50 hours a week for peanuts compared to this grandma __________________ A grain of wheat eclipsed the sun of Adam !!

04-20-2006, 16:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
Amled *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 09-10-04 Location: Denmark Posts: 1,436 Country:	Being 84 years old I'd give that 25-year annuity a pass and take the 5,5 million. Way-the-go lady! Enjoy! __________________ When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow. - Anais Nin

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04-19-2006, 22:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
Parihaka Moderator Join Date: 11-10-04 Location: Te Ika a Maui Posts: 9,728 Country:	Bless her

04-20-2006, 15:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
Blademaster Banished *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-15-03 Posts: 3,197	I bet her grandchildren or children are esctatic because she's 84 years old and can croak at anytime. If she was smart, she would immediately create a trust fund for the money that she won and designate the trustees as to avoid any relative bickering over the money. Believe me, you do not want to be caught between relatives bickering over money. It is one of the most nastiest and cruelest fights you can be in. Nobody wins and the only one gains the most are lawyers and that's not even much because lawyers have to constantly worry about malpractice suits because the relatives are usually disgruntled always thinking that they should have gotten more or the lawyers were out there to screw them. Hell if I was 84 years old, i know that I would die someday too so I would start a separate trust fund for each of my child and grandchildren. I would start that now before I hear some long lost distant relative come calling and claim, "I've found my long loved ones. My ma missed ya" with grainy old photos and usual crap. Greed knows no bounds.

04-20-2006, 16:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
gunnut *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 01-27-06 Location: DPRK, Democratik People's Republik of Kalifornia Posts: 9,867 Country:	So the lump sum, after tax total will be...let me guess...$3 million, if she's lucky. Erin Brokovich sold her story for $2 million and received a check for $900k. Not to take this on a tangent, but we tax too much, especially on the high income earners.

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