Florida Powerball winners come forward
TALLAHASSEE (FOX 13) - Last month, a Florida couple bought a Powerball ticket in a Florida grocery store with their usual numbers. Now, they are $300-million richer.
Maureen Smith, 70, and David Kaltschmidt, 55, bought one of three winning tickets for the record $1.6-billion Powerball jackpot. They stepped forward to claim their part of the winnings at the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee on Wednesday.
Lottery Secretary Tom Delacenserie said the couple elected the one-time payment option, meaning they'll take home about $327-million of their $528-million share.
Their winning ticket was purchased at a Melbourne Beach Publix, using numbers they've played for 30 years. The other two winning tickets for the January 13 drawing were bought in Tennessee and California.
John and Lisa Robertson of Munford, Tennessee, cashed in their ticket last month. The third winner has not been publicly identified yet.
Two million-dollar tickets were sold in the Bay Area, and a large pool run by two local men did not win any major prizes, but did attract attention around the world.
David and Maureen, meanwhile, stayed low-key about their win and set up a trust to handle the money.
"We're still going to live the same lives basically," David insisted. "I mean, my truck is about to fall apart, so I need a vehicle."
David, an engineer, plans to retire. Maureen said they're not sure what else they'll do, but a massage may be in her future.
"We have a lot to think about," she added with a smile. "It's very stressful."