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A “Signs” of the Times; Infrequent Illinois Lottery Player Wins $1,000,000

INFREQUENT LOTTERY PLAYER WINS $1 MILLION MERRY MILLIONAIRE PRIZE

Brad Bryner of Kewanee, Illinois plays the Lottery only on rare occasions—when the mood strikes or the Mega Millions/Powerball jackpot nears $200 million.

Hey, nothing wrong with that.

so, perhaps it was the spirit of the season, but something compelled him December 23 to buy a Merry Millionaire ticket. That ticket turned out to be a $1million winner, resulting in a very merry Christmas for Bryner and his family.

Bryner, 43, and his wife, Dawn, didn’t initially know they won anything on the ticket; in fact, Bryner tried to enter the ticket via the internet as a non-winner in a special Merry Millionaire second-chance promotion. Bryner’s ticket, however, was not accepted as a valid entry (because it was a winner).

Upon closer examination, Brad and Dawn realized the ticket was indeed a big winner. “I kept getting the ticket out and looking at it,” he said.

Dawn told him, “it sure looks like a winner,” but the couple wasn’t 100 percent convinced until they drove to Illinois’ lottery headquarters in Springfield in early January to present the ticket to Lottery officials, who confirmed its validity.

Brad and Dawn, 36, own a sign business in Kewanee, Say It Signs, and will invest part of the winnings in the

business. The couple’s home mortgage will likely be erased after the Lottery check arrives in the Bryner’s bank account later this month. “We intend to be as smart with the money as we can be,” said Brad. “We plan to make it work for us and our family.” The Bryners have two teenage sons who know their parents aren’t going to let the boys’ whims derail their prudent financial plans.

In claiming his prize, Bryner opted for a one-time payment of $600,000 (rather than $50,000 per year for 20

years). He should receive the lump-sum prize payment by the end of January.