A lot of people don't realize this - You don't need to be a resident of a certain country to win the lottery in that country. But Sean Mayer definitely knows this now; he is an American man that won a Canadian lottery - $7,478,217 on Lotto 649.
Prior to his big lottery win, Sean Mayer was a senior director of a company called SNC Lavalin, a construction and engineering firm. He worked out of their Bothell Washington office (Near Seattle), but did frequent business trips to the company's Toronto, Ontario office. In January of 2009, Sean was on one of those business trips to Toronto. That's when he decided to purchase a Lotto 649 ticket - Just one ticket. And, it was the first time he had ever bought a lottery ticket in Canada. It was beginner's luck because he beat the odds of approximately 1-in-14-million and won the jackpot - $7,478,217!
Here's where the story gets even more interesting. If Sean Mayer living in Canada as a Canadian citizen, the money that he won would have been tax-free (All lotteries in Canada are tax-free). However, Sean is American and he has to claim the money with the American taxman and that taxman will take his cut. The IRS will have been owed about $2.1 million.
At the check presentation ceremony, Sean Mayer said that he wished he was Canadian. That way, he wouldn't have to pay the tax! Sucker!
Do you play the lottery while traveling? If not, maybe you should. Sean would never have won if he didn't play.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sean Mayer - American Man Wins Canadian Lottery (Lotto 649)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tino Sundin
Posted by: Tino Sundin
Updated at: Thursday, January 28, 2010
