Includes video report
PHOENIX, AZ — Playing Powerball tonight? You may want to hear what a Phoenix woman has to say — she won Arizona's biggest Powerball jackpot nearly 20 years ago.
On March 4th, 1995, part time secretary Shirley Pence stopped by a 7/11 store near 24th Avenue and Greenway in Phoenix to buy a Powerball quick pick ticket. Turned out she had a winner.
"Oh we just grabbed each other and held each other," she said. "And I cried and shook."
Don, a self employed house painter, and his wife Shirley, lived a modest life in North Phoenix 17 years ago.
Their daughter and grandson were at the news conference to celebrate.
The Powerball lottery hit Arizona in 1994 and the Pence's hit the Powerball a year later.
The Pence's little ticket led to a big check that changed their lives to the tune of $102 Million.
Both in their mid 50's, the Pence's immediately retired, and were stunned at what happened following this news conference in Phoenix.
Shirley Pence said, "We'd wake up in the morning and we'd have gifts on the front porch, flowers, alarm clocks, just all kinds of things. It just got ridiculous. So we got out of town for a while."
Shirley talked to us from the couple's home in Florida. They spend half their time in Arizona in their home North of the valley.
Looking back 17 years to the blur of winning Powerball, Pence says it was a blessing but for a while she says it was also depressing.
"A lot of people wanted money," she said. "We had one situation where they threatened to kidnap our grandson and our dog. I mean it was like okay people give me a break, this is ridiculous."
There was another surprise for the couple, when they discovered the only thing they had in common with rich people was their bank accounts. Shirley said she found the rich to be kind of annoying. She said, "A lot of them are just, they take everything for granted. They don't say thank-you they don't clean up after themselves. It just irritates me."
Every once in a while Shirley said she'll buy a lottery ticket just for the heck of it. But when we asked her why most big jackpot winners seem to come from Southern states or states in the Midwest, she said, "I don't know." Adding, "If there are more people in the states that have won, that's the only thing I can think of. It's just more people who buy tickets."
So, we took our question to the source, the Arizona Lottery. And we asked, why does it seem that Arizonans don't hit huge lottery jackpots?
Karen Bach said it's not true, that Arizona has had 10 big winners. She said, "Those jackpots ranged in prize value from just over $5 million to $102 million."
But the number of jackpot winners doing news conferences, and getting the big check for all to see, has dwindled. Many jackpot winners these days want to remain anonymous.
Though a teacher from Fort Mohave did step up to publicly claim her $95 million jackpot in December 2010.
Bach says Powerball winners in Arizona have collected over half a billion dollars in winnings from $10,000 on up since 1994. She says, "It's so much more than just the jackpot because there's other people winning $10,000, $100,000 or $1 million so it's not just all about the jackpot. There's so much more money to be spread around."
Don and Shirley Pence were in their 50's when they hit the big Powerball jackpot. They chose the annuity, taking $3.5 million dollars every year for 20 years.
In three years the lottery checks will stop coming, but the Pence's are set financially. They've also given generously to charity, including animal causes in Yavapai County, and to Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
Now they are counting their blessings in Florida and Arizona. "We got the best of both worlds," Shirley said. "We are really blessed."
VIDEO: Watch the report
Thanks to lottoball for the tip.
What a nice story!
Nice story, and 17 years later they have something to show for it!
For some reason i think this was one of the smart moves for getting the annuity..
honestly I've been flip-flopping over which would bring less grief and most enjoyment
From the OP:
"A lot of people wanted money," she said. "We had one situation where they threatened to kidnap our grandson and our dog. I mean it was like okay people give me a break, this is ridiculous."
There was another surprise for the couple, when they discovered the only thing they had in common with rich people was their bank accounts. Shirley said she found the rich to be kind of annoying. She said, "A lot of them are just, they take everything for granted. They don't say thank-you they don't clean up after themselves. It just irritates me."
And those who INHERITED their wealth should be viewed the same way then...
lovely. just lovely! they won together, have stayed together, have not squandered all their money, and are loving their life recognizing that they have been blessed. lovely.
It takes a special kind of lowlife to threaten to kidnap a man's dog.
Nice story indeed....
lol why send alarm clocks to lottery winners
What a lovely couple.
What a lucky couple.
What a lucky,lovely couple.
A perfect reason why all states should allow you to remain anonymous. Threats of violence and kidnapping.
Glad everything worked out for them and that they have been able to stay together.
Yea, seems like an alarm system would be more apropriate.
The Spence's are an inspiration to all of us who play the lottery.It's all about a dollar and a dream.Those alarm clock gifts were for target practice only, to remind them of those days when they had to go to work.
my brother beat my dog and i told him,"I know one thing about my dog. i like her. i like her more than i like you." he has never hurt my dog again.
If my brother beat my dogs, he would wind up feeling just like the dogs,
scared and hurt.
I don't like me no alarm clocks, no sir.
It is a blessing to win and to be able to sustain the wealth over a long period of time. To each of us who eventually win the jackpot, I pray the same blessings.
Actually, taking the "annuity" was the only PB Jackpot option way back then!
I'm glad these folks are still able to enjoy their big bank accounts! I want my own big jackpot win!.
Right!
When the "Bunky" won his 80+ million dollar jackpot in Maryland, someone placed a hugh Safe on his front lawn.
How someone did that without being seen or noticed was puzzling.
And I couldn't understand what that message was.
It seem to me they would have been more worry about the kidnapping of the grandchild,then a dog. you can get another dog.
Good news for a change,happy ending.
If you've had a dog for a few years, you can become very attached and concerned for their well being. Replacing the dog is not like just
getting another toaster. No disrespect for the grandchildren, just pointing out that there exists a close emotional bond, between people and
their beloved animals.
Its palms up when someone wins big like that. Glad they still enjoy their money. Happy ending!
It could be a cleaver promotion for a real estate agent: "Attention, now is a good time to sell."
Litebets27, this cleaver message/meaning was probably: "We don't have much money, valuable documents, and jewels to require need of this big safe, since you will we're giving it to you!"
THAT is the only advantage in getting the annuity. If you go crazy the first year or so (buying houses, Lamborghini sports cars in triplicate to fill your 3-garage homes, jewelry, with hangers-on asking for money), then you still have time to come to your senses. You run out of money Year1, Year 2, by Year 3 you start getting smart. They were getting $3.5 million per year for 20 years. Nowadays the annuites are like 25 - 30 years.
The drawback nowadays about annuities, of course, if the political talk about higher TAXES on the "rich". You don't know what they tax rate will be 5 or 10 years from now -- could be 50% or higher on "millionaires".
I used to think it would be smarter to take the annuity, just so you can't go too crazy and spend it all. But now I might take the cash.