Winning the lottery is a dream for many, but only a lucky few actually accomplish it. While older adults make up the majority of big jackpot winners, there have been some notable cases of very young people striking it rich by winning the lottery. Some won big on their first ever lottery ticket, while others were teenagers or in their early 20s when they hit the jackpot. Their stories can seem almost unbelievable, but serve as inspiration that anyone can get lucky.
How young is young when it comes to lottery winners?
For the purposes of this article, “young” lottery winners refers to those under 30 years old. While not common, there are documented cases of teenagers, college students, and 20-somethings winning huge lottery prizes over the years. Some of these young winners took home jackpots of $1 million or more.
What are some factors that enable young people to win big lottery prizes?
There are a few factors that help explain why some young people have won big in the lottery:
– They had access to lottery tickets. While underage individuals can’t purchase tickets themselves, some have received them as gifts or had family members buy tickets for them. Others were already of legal age to play the lottery in their state.
– Simple luck. Like any lottery player, a chance alignment of numbers is all it takes to win big. Youth doesn’t decrease the odds.
– They played. Many young adults reported buying lottery tickets regularly, increasing their chances to win versus someone who rarely plays.
– They chose jackpot games. Games like Powerball and MegaMillions offer life-changing jackpots, versus smaller prizes in daily lottery games.
So while luck drives lottery wins overall, some young winners gave themselves the best odds by playing jackpot games frequently from an early age. Their big wins came down to luck meeting preparation.
Notable Young Lottery Winners
While the list of young lottery winners includes names from across the decades, these players stand out for how young they were when they claimed massive jackpot prizes:
Thomas Hayes – Age 18
In 1998, Massachusetts teenager Thomas Hayes was gifted two Powerball tickets by his grandfather for his 18th birthday. That small gift ended up winning Hayes $13.5 million, as one ticket perfectly matched the Powerball drawing. His good fortune led Hayes to appear on several talk shows at the time.
Kelsey Zachow – Age 24
Wisconsin resident Kelsey Zachow won a $11.2 million Powerball jackpot in 2017. Zachow purchased her ticket on the morning of the drawing after a co-worker at the grocery store where she worked suggested they buy some for the growing jackpot. She elected to take the lump sum payment of approximately $7 million.
Matthew Good – Age 21
An Arizona man named Matthew Good hit the Powerball jackpot just a year later in 2018, winning $294 million at the age of 21. At the time, Good was being supported by his parents and did not have a job. He elected to take a lump sum of $200 million after taxes. Good reportedly planned to pursue his dream career in animation after winning.
Billy Joe Casey – Age 25
Billy Joe Casey won a $3 million jackpot from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery in 2010. His lottery victory came after buying just one ticket at a local gas station while he was out running an errand. Casey elected to receive his winnings in a lump sum of approximately $2.2 million when he claimed his prize.
Neal Wanless – Age 23
Just a month after the Arkansas lottery produced a young winner, 23-year-old Neal Wanless won $232 million playing Powerball in Tennessee. Wanless was a college student at the time, and elected to take the lump sum payment. After taxes, his winnings exceeded $88 million.
July Garza – Age 20
In 2008, a young entrepreneur named July Garza won over $16 million in the Texas Mega Millions lottery. When she claimed the prize at just 20 years old, Garza told reporters she planned to continue running the transportation company she had recently started. Her winnings enabled Garza to grow her business dramatically.
Reactions to Young Lottery Winners
These stories of lottery success for young adults and teens garnered plenty of public reactions. Here are some of the common responses their lottery wins received:
Disbelief
For every young lottery winner, plenty of people initially react with disbelief that someone so young could win so much money instantly. It runs counter to perceptions of youth and good fortune.
Celebration
Especially in the case of publicly identified winners, many people celebrate and cheer the winner’s unexpected fortune. The thrill of witnessing someone else’s life-changing luck generates positivity.
Criticism
However, young lottery winners also face suspicion and criticism at times. Some question if they are mature enough to handle large sums of money responsibly. Others may be skeptical the wins are real or earned through dishonest means.
Jealousy
For many adults who have played the lottery for years without winning, reports of teenagers and 20-somethings winning big jackpots can provoke jealousy. The ease of their win compared to years of effort in life feels undeserved.
Intrigue
In most cases, the public is intrigued to find out how young lottery winners will use their prize money and whether it changes their lives for the better. Hopes for their good fortune remain high.
Impacts on the Lives of Young Lottery Winners
Beyond public reactions, young lottery winners themselves are impacted in major ways by their sudden windfalls. Here is how seven-figure lottery prizes affected some of their lives:
Enabled pursuing passions
Several young winners were able to pursue dream careers in areas like animation, music, and video game development using their lottery funds. This allowed risky career shifts.
Supported further education
Some winners put their money towards college tuition or advanced degrees without needing loans. Educational expenses were covered.
Improved family’s lives
Most young winners focused on helping their parents and siblings financially with their prize money. New houses, vehicles, and generous gifts were common.
Advanced early entrepreneurship
Young adults who had started small businesses were able to dramatically expand their companies with lottery winnings acting as investment capital.
Funded travel and luxury
It’s common for young winners to spend on experiences like travel, expensive cars, designer clothing, and lavish parties initially. Some exhibited excessive spending.
Enabled philanthropy
Giving back through donations became a priority for many young winners, especially those supporting causes related to poverty, health care, and education access.
Granted independence
Wealth enabled young adults to purchase their own homes immediately and reduced dependence on parents or jobs for income. Financial freedom was a top goal.
Potential Downsides for Young Lottery Winners
Despite their incredible luck, some young lottery winners also faced significant challenges:
Immature spending
Without financial experience, young winners often made unwise purchases and exhibited reckless spending during the first months after winning. This behavior risked their long-term finances.
Pressure from others
Well-meaning family and friends frequently asked young winners for major financial help and gifts, putting strain on relationships. Saying no was difficult.
Isolation from peers
The money gap isolated some young winners from same-age friends who were still building careers and financial stability from scratch on their own. Normal social lives were disrupted.
Unprepared for attention
Winners were often unprepared for the onslaught of media attention, public criticism, scam attempts, and requests that came with winning big prizes. This caused stress.
Identity disruption
Going from an average lifestyle to one of extreme wealth so instantly could shake young adults’ senses of identity, purpose, and motivation in life. It was emotionally jarring.
Loss of privacy
Having their names and stories publicized widely resulted in major losses of privacy. Trying to maintain normalcy became very difficult.
Sudden responsibility
Managing millions in assets was complex and demanding for young adults with no financial experience. Most lacked sufficient guidance and support.
Advice for Young Lottery Winners
While coming into big lottery winnings can be thrilling, the challenges that follow require maturity and savvy financial management. Here are some tips for young winners:
Keep the circle small
Only share news of the win with the most trusted family and friends. This prevents getting overwhelmed with requests.
live normally initially
Make big lifestyle changes slowly, if at all. Sudden lavish spending can be unfulfilling and risky. Stay grounded.
Get professional help
Hire reputable legal and financial advisors to manage the money responsibly. Don’t go it alone.
Save and invest
The worst thing is running out of winnings. Saving, conservative investing, budgeting, and protecting the principal should be priorities. Don’t spend wildly.
Plan carefully
Create plans for pursuits like education, business ideas, and charity. Don’t just hand out cash without direction. Make goals and analyze options.
Delay major decisions
Other than initial necessities, take 6-12 months before making any big expensive decisions. Let the shock wear off first.
Keep perspective
Understand the money doesn’t change who you are. Don’t let it damage close relationships or abandon promising career paths.
Key Statistics on Young Lottery Winners
While stories of young lottery winners capture public attention, they represent a minority of overall winners. Some key statistics provide perspective:
Average American lottery winner age is 43
According to poll data, the typical lottery jackpot winner is in their 40s. Less than 5% of major winners are aged 21 or younger.
More winners are 50+ than under 30
Winners aged 50 and up outweigh those under 30 by a nearly 3-to-1 margin. Retirees see greater lottery rewards than college students.
Just 15% of lottery players are under 30
Younger adults play the lottery much less than middle-aged ones. Less overall players means lower odds for youthful winners.
Odds of any single ticket winning Powerball are 1 in 292 million
The baseline odds make any jackpot win unlikely. Even young winners beat long odds by getting very lucky.
MegaMillions odds are even longer at 1 in 302 million
America’s two biggest lottery games remain incredibly hard to win for players of any age with just one ticket.
| Player Age | Share of Major Winners |
|---|---|
| Under 21 | 4.2% |
| 21-29 | 8.9% |
| 30-39 | 15.1% |
| 40-49 | 23.5% |
| 50-59 | 26.1% |
| 60+ | 22.2% |
Summary statistics
In summary, major lottery winners under 30 years old are rare, making up around 13% of all jackpot victories. While attention-grabbing, young winners beat the odds and reflect luck over skill. For most, winning the lottery takes a lifetime of playing the odds.
Famous Young Lottery Winners
Beyond the major jackpot victories already covered, some other notable young lottery winners include:
Erik McKenna – Age 19
California teenager Erik McKenna won a $23 million SuperLotto Plus jackpot in 2002. His annual payments after taxes exceeded $800,000 per year.
Timothy Jacques – Age 26
Timothy Jacques won a $1 million prize from a scratch-off ticket he bought while stopping for donuts in Oregon. He elected to receive a lump sum payment.
Mark Hill – Age 15
Teenager Mark Hill received a winning ticket in the Kansas lottery as a birthday gift from his grandfather in the early 1990s. He won $5.4 million.
Callie Rogers – Age 16
Callie Rogers of the UK remains Britain’s youngest ever lottery winner after taking home £1.9 million in 2003 at the age of 16. She purchased her first ever ticket on a friend’s suggestion.
David Lee Edwards – Age 26
West Virginia resident David Lee Edwards won a $27 million share of a Powerball jackpot in 2001 at the age of 26. His lavish spending left him bankrupt five years later.
Amanda Clayton – Age 25
Amanda Clayton won $1 million from the Michigan lottery at age 25 in 2011. Her winnings were cut off a year later when she continued using food stamp benefits.
Conclusion
Stories of young lottery winners taking home life-changing multimillion dollar jackpots may seem hard to believe, but their lucky tales have created excitement for decades. While youth doesn’t improve the long odds, some teens and 20-somethings have beat the lottery game through bold play or chance events like receiving tickets as gifts. Their fortunes demonstrate that for a small minority, massive payouts can come early in life and drastically alter their futures for better or worse.