A married couple from North Waco, Texas won the lottery recently. The couple won an amazing $30 million from the Texas lottery on August 27th and are still carrying on life as usual. Merri Zilka bought a lottery ticket from the EZ shop with numbers the couple chose together at random.

Merri and her husband Ben were watching TV when it was announced that the winner was from the EZ shop. Merri looked at her tickets but didn’t see the winning numbers so she put the tickets back in the drawer. That Sunday, Merri went back to the EZ Shop and had the clerk enter her ticket to see if they had won anything. The clerk entered the ticket and the machine made a weird noise. The clerk then waited until all the customers had left the store before the clerk told Merri she had just won $30 million.

Ben had stayed at home to grill some food and Merri hurried home to let them know that they had won. Ben thought it was a joke and he went back outside to check on the grill. Since the couple found out they won, their life has went on as usual. Ben was out mowing the lawn a few days after finding out, when most people would probably have hired someone to do it for them.

Friends have stated that the couple already has plans for their winnings. Merri choose to the cash option, so the couple will get $19,433,607 after taxes. The store where the winning ticket was bought will receive $304,903. Ben will buy a new truck, buy a larger property and take a vacation.

Ben stated that the money would not change them. He said: “It’s not going to change us. It won’t change a thing. Oh, except I retired today.”


- 2008-09-04