Iowa man nearly lost $1 million Powerball prize

May 19, 2015, 7:57 am (21 comments)

Powerball

By Todd Northrop

A Des Moines, Iowa, man claimed a $1 million Powerball prize Monday morning, a day after his winning ticket was nearly lost.

Pete Kemp of Des Moines said he had his winning ticket checked at a Cash Saver supermarket on Fleur Drive Sunday, but during the process of getting paperwork from the lottery terminal, the clerk accidentally threw away his ticket.

Kemp said he realized the mistake within seconds and went back into the store, where the clerk was able to retrieve his ticket — which had been torn in two — from the trash. They taped it back together at the store and he turned it into Iowa Lottery officials Monday to claim his prize.

"I thought it was invalid. She was real quick to tape it together," Kemp said Monday at the Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. "I grabbed it and ran out the door."

Kemp thought he might have trouble claiming the prize since the original ticket had been torn. But Iowa Lottery officials said they could pinpoint where the person checked the winning ticket.

As long as he had his paperwork, the damage to the ticket wouldn't affect his ability to claim the prize, officials said.

The Iowa Lottery presented Kemp with a large, $1 million check Monday morning around 11:00 a.m. He came close to winning at least a share of Saturday's $110 million jackpot by matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball, according to a news release.

Kemp, 47, who drives a bus for the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART), won $700,000 after federal taxes of $250,000 and state taxes of $50,000 were withheld Monday.

No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so it climbs to an estimated $121 million annuity or $75.7 million cash option.

Saturday's winning numbers were 24, 29, 38, 48, and 52, with Powerball number 32. The Power Play number was 2. Kemp's ticket was one of four across the country that each one a $1 million prize that night.

Kemp, originally from the Twin Cities, said he's going to invest most of the money into a retirement fund for himself. And, he'll continue to drive for DART.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

zephbe's avatarzephbe

Congratulations to him--did he have to have the store validate his ticket before taking it to the lottery office?  Or did he  have them check it because he didn't know he had won?

plumsage's avatarplumsage

What kind of paperwork did he get from the store other then his lottery ticket? Or what kind of paperwork in general did he have to give to the lottery officials?

dr65's avatardr65

Good luck with that claim. The ticket is torn in half. It's up to the lottery officials now. No Nod

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Quote: Originally posted by dr65 on May 19, 2015

Good luck with that claim. The ticket is torn in half. It's up to the lottery officials now. No Nod

"As long as he had his paperwork, the damage to the ticket wouldn't affect his ability to claim the prize, officials said.

The Iowa Lottery presented Kemp with a large, $1 million check Monday morning around 11:00 a.m. He came close to winning at least a share of Saturday's $110 million jackpot by matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball, according to a news release."

They gave him his money because he had his ticket and some other proof.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Quote: Originally posted by plumsage on May 19, 2015

What kind of paperwork did he get from the store other then his lottery ticket? Or what kind of paperwork in general did he have to give to the lottery officials?

I'm thinking he had a printout from the terminal saying he was a winner before the ticket got torn up.

dr65's avatardr65

Quote: Originally posted by ThatScaryChick on May 19, 2015

"As long as he had his paperwork, the damage to the ticket wouldn't affect his ability to claim the prize, officials said.

The Iowa Lottery presented Kemp with a large, $1 million check Monday morning around 11:00 a.m. He came close to winning at least a share of Saturday's $110 million jackpot by matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball, according to a news release."

They gave him his money because he had his ticket and some other proof.

Whew...I just skimmed the article - I do remember some state denying a claim for a less than pristine/in good

condition ticket. Maybe it was evidence of eraser marks or damage but I recall a story here on LP about someone

being denied their money due to ticket condition. Sad. If the numbers are there, pay the winner.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Pete Kemp of Des Moines , Iowa.  Do not forget the rest of the Federal Taxes owed. The IRS is not satisfied with just 25% . They want 39.6% total Federal taxes.  That works out to be a total of $396,000.00 . Not $250,000.00

 Paper works are... Winners Claim form, two sets of ID such as Drivers License and Social Security card with your number on it.  The form to declare whether you want CASH lump sum or the Annuity will be given to you at the Lottery Office. You can get this form from the Lottery Office before you turn the ticket in but it could require you to get it notarized. This Payment selection form is probably a short form to fill out. 

 I already have my Winners Claim form filled out except for the winning ticket information.

 Good Luck Pete Kemp !!!Wink

mrlottojackpot

actually federal only takes 25% for gambling and not the full 39.6% if u look at irs web site for claiming gambling winning for example keno, casino winning, track wins, its all 25% then whatever ur state and city make.... look up "w-2g" form and it just tells u it with be 25% or 28% for some and not usa citizens is 30% no where does it say 39.6 i used to think it was to

needinghelp's avatarneedinghelp

There are more and more cashiers who have no clue of what they are doing.....  There should be more in depth training for cashiers on how to operate equipment properly.    There are just too many mistakes happening all around the country.  Players have to become more educated on how to check their tickets whether in store online or a trip to the lottery office.

duckman's avatarduckman

As long as he has all the pieces of the ticket he is good to go. On torn tickets where pieces are missing, the lottery may take additional time to validate the ticket and could possibly deny payment if key pieces were missing.

In this case, the winner will get paid with no problem...

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by zephbe on May 19, 2015

Congratulations to him--did he have to have the store validate his ticket before taking it to the lottery office?  Or did he  have them check it because he didn't know he had won?

There was no reason for him to go to a store and validate the ticket because "all prizes of more than $250,000 must be claimed at the Iowa Lottery headquarters office in Des Moines".

Prizes of more than $600 may be claimed either by mail (see below) or by visiting an Iowa Lottery office. However, please note that all prizes of more than $250,000 must be claimed at the Iowa Lottery headquarters office in Des Moines. Powerball, Mega Millions and Hot Lotto jackpot prizes along with some special merchandise or vehicle prizes must be claimed in person at the headquarters office.

Apparently the clerk didn't know the rules either because all the paperwork processing is done at lottery headquarters.

Pete Kemp of Des Moines said he had his winning ticket checked at a Cash Saver supermarket on Fleur Drive Sunday, but during the process of getting paperwork from the lottery terminal, the clerk accidentally threw away his ticket.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by music* on May 19, 2015

Pete Kemp of Des Moines , Iowa.  Do not forget the rest of the Federal Taxes owed. The IRS is not satisfied with just 25% . They want 39.6% total Federal taxes.  That works out to be a total of $396,000.00 . Not $250,000.00

 Paper works are... Winners Claim form, two sets of ID such as Drivers License and Social Security card with your number on it.  The form to declare whether you want CASH lump sum or the Annuity will be given to you at the Lottery Office. You can get this form from the Lottery Office before you turn the ticket in but it could require you to get it notarized. This Payment selection form is probably a short form to fill out. 

 I already have my Winners Claim form filled out except for the winning ticket information.

 Good Luck Pete Kemp !!!Wink

"The form to declare whether you want CASH lump sum or the Annuity will be given to you at the Lottery Office."

The only annuity is for the jackpot. Kemp matched five numbers and won $1 million.

LottoLucy's avatarLottoLucy

Quote: Originally posted by mrlottojackpot on May 19, 2015

actually federal only takes 25% for gambling and not the full 39.6% if u look at irs web site for claiming gambling winning for example keno, casino winning, track wins, its all 25% then whatever ur state and city make.... look up "w-2g" form and it just tells u it with be 25% or 28% for some and not usa citizens is 30% no where does it say 39.6 i used to think it was to

Unfortunately the 25% isn't the end of your obligation to the Feds.  That 25% is just what is called withholding tax. It is like what is withheld from your paycheck each pay period to make sure they get their piece of the action up front. That 25% is to assure that the government gets at least something up front from your winnings.  After that you will most likely have to pay quarterly estimated taxes and then something when you do your taxes for that winning year.  If you are a big winner you probably will end up paying tclose to that 39.6% figure mentioned even if you have a lot of write offs.

Lynn-Lynn's avatarLynn-Lynn

Congratulations on your win

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