A 61-year-old truck driver from Missouri is $500,000 richer. On December 22, 2012, Joe Ryan first purchased a $20 scratcher and won $25, so he decided to give it another go.
“I said, ‘I didn’t come here to win $5.’ I went back in, cashed that ticket and bought another $20 ticket,” he told KFVS 12. “I scratched the first number, and I thought, ‘Uh-oh. Can this be real?'”
His first scratch on the ticket revealed that he had won $500,000, taxes paid!
What does he plan to do with his winnings?
“A friend and I, we play kind of together; we’ve always said if we win big, first thing, we’ll take care of our wives,” he suggested. “That’s the road to success, that’s what I tell anybody. If momma’s happy, everyone’s happy.”
Ryan also said he also plans to remodel his home.
When asked if he plans to quit his job, he said he would work for a few more years.
“This will move my retirement up about five years,” he said.