Siblings James Stocklas and Bob Stocklas both won something thanks to the lottery tickets they bought while vacationing in Florida: James won the jackpot, $291 million. His brother? He won $7.
James Stocklas, a 67-year old Pennsylvania judge, bought the tickets along with his brother on the way home from the beach in Florida Keys during a fishing vacation. That and 20 pounds of ice. After the Wednesday draw (March 2, 2016) he was already back at work, doing whatever it is that judges do. He decided to check the numbers on his phone after reading that one ticket won the Powerball lottery for $291 million in Florida, and that the ticket was bought in the Keys. They bought the tickets on Monday. He didn’t check out whether he won or not until Friday, while having his morning coffee.
The first thing he did? Bought breakfast to everyone in the diner he was sitting at drinking his morning coffee. Then he called up his family and told them they’re going back to Florida to collect the prize. He chartered a private jet to celebrate the occasion, and both he and his brother took one of the funniest photos in Powerball history.
Stocklas decided not to spread out the payment of the prize, but instead take it in one lump sum, which comes down to “only” $191 million. He doesn’t plan on quitting work, only to tone it down a little bit. And what to do with the money? He has no idea, but probably helping out family is the first thing. He made a joke about helping out the legislators in Harrisburg who complain about financial problems. The biggest questions that remain unanswered? How much is he going to give his brother, and how much is his sibling kicking himself for being on the losing end of this one?