January 5, 2011, the lives of Holly Lahti and Jim McCullar were changed forever.  Both choosing the correct numbers for the $380 million lottery jackpot, the two will share the winnings, splitting the prize in half.

Not much is known of Lahti, other than the fact that she is a single mother, worked as a bank teller prior to amassing her sudden wealth, and allowed the computer to randomly choose her numbers for her.  After winning her half of the mega millions, Lahti immediately quit her job and left home with her children.  Before leaving she requested of the media that they respect her privacy, and wait for her to get her affairs in order before inundating her with attention.  It has since been discovered that her family life is enshrouded with suspicion, and her estranged husband might actually receive half of her winnings due to legal reasons.  Sixty eight year old, former real estate agent Jim McCullar on the other hand has been very open about his experience with the nation.  The second Mega Millions winner, McCullar shared with the press that it was his wife’s idea to buy two tickets.  The couple chose numbers corresponding to their birthdays.  Jim’s numbers won, and the couple immediately rejoiced by telling their close family and friends.  Understandably excited but rationally thinking, the two have no intentions of blowing their winnings, and plan to pass it on down through their family generation after generation.

Lahti can either divide her total winnings into 26 installments to receive her winnings in its entirety, or accept a lump sum check for $80.7 million after taxes have been deducted.  Because there are no state taxes in Washington, the McCullars can either accept their winnings in a lump sum of $90 million, or stretch out their full winnings into 26 annual installments as well.  The winning numbers were 4, 8, 15, 25, 47, and 42.  The January jackpot was the second largest in the history of the game.