The identity of the couple who won last week's $3 million (US) Vermont Megabucks jackpot has been revealed.
Bob and Jeanne Gagnon from Madawaska, Maine, bought their winning ticket from Bob’s Neighborhood Store and originally asked store owners, Pete and Susan Williams, to keep their identity a secret, but the couple has now had time to come to terms with their win and have finally allowed their identity to be revealed.
The Gagnons chose to take their winnings in annuity payments, for the next thirty years, because it will ensure they have long-term cash.
"That means I have to live until I'm 90-something now," Mrs. Gagnon explained.
The Gagnons, who have been married for 47 years, had no idea they'd won until their son rang the lottery's claim line.
The couple has been playing Megabucks since the first drawing on September 14, 1985. The responsibility of picking the numbers always falls to Mrs. Gagnon and the couple has never had a big win before so she thought her son was having a laugh with here when he first told her the news.
When she realized her son was in earnest Mrs. Gagnon woke up husband and told him they'd won.
"I'm glad," he said. "It's about time we got some good news."
When asked if their prior lack of luck had ever deterred her from continuing to pick Megabucks numbers, Mrs. Gagnon stated that it had not.
"You can't win if you don't play," she said.
