Would You Wait Six Years to Claim Your Lottery Prize? And Would You Share It?

October 18th, 2012 - By Tonya Garcia

Image: Thinkstock

Two Syracuse, NY brothers, Andy and Nayel Ashkar, have claimed the $5 million prize that Andy won from a scratch-off lottery ticket… six years ago.

Andy Ashkar purchased the ticket from his parent’s convenience store in 2006 and has decided to share the money with his brother. He turned in the ticket to collect his winnings on March 1, just 11 days before the card would have expired, nullifying his prize. The lottery organization has conducted an investigation to make sure no fraud has been committed and they’re now prepared to turn over the cash.

Andy Ashkar says he hesitated to collect the money because he didn’t want the money to ”negatively influence” his life. “Andy Ashkar also told lottery officials that he also didn’t want the windfall to influence his engagement and subsequent marriage,” the AP reports.

It’s hard to come up with many ways that a lot of free money would change your life for the worse, but it’s not unheard of. Still, would you wait six years to claim a multi-million-dollar prize? And would you share it? Let us know in the comments.

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  • Rawtid

    Well we know he’s not ruled by money and greed. Sounds to me he is a humble young man with a good head on his shoulder. Congratulations to him.

  • Tamz

    Would I wait? H*LL NO!!! I’d be at the lottery commission so quick, I’d be serving doughnuts and coffee!! I’d quit my job, share my blessing with my parents, grandparents, and my favorite uncle and me and my fiance and daughter would bounce!! I’d finish my degree and definitely save though, I ain’t trying to be on a episode of “The Lottery Curse”. But there IS something fishy them winning this at their parents’ store…I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this yet.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/NMJYFT6OYFTITFMJ2WJVBV2FAA Rehana

    I can’t remember who, but there was a hidden camera investigation where
    employees of stores that sold lottery tickets where falsely telling
    customers they didn’t win and keeping the ticket for themselves to cash
    in on.I
    am beautiful woman and I love good man…..inter racial romance is my dream… so I
    joined —blackwhitePlanet.С0M—–it’s where to- connect with
    beautiful and excellent people!More to the story than what is being portrayed. I think that it was a
    customer’s ticket who really won they sat on it for a few years so the
    customer wouldn’t come back claiming fraud.

    • MLS2698

      loser!

  • http://madamenoire.com/ ✽Nthanda⚤

    I’m sorry but I would definitely collect my money. Why wait so long to collect when you could have it now for the things you need?

  • Miss D

    I wouldn’t wait too long. I need the money now! lol. As far as sharing, I absolutely would. I’d take care of my mama and let her retire. Pay off my debts. Help out a few friends in need. And I’d invest or find some business savvy people to help me manage my money.

  • Shirl

    Are you kidding me??? I’d be in the lobby of the lottery headquarters the same darn day. Would I share..of course. God I see so many folk like myself, hard working and still struggling financially. I couldn’t help everyone but I can help some. I’d take care of a lot of college tuitions. I’m with cheekee on this one though…something ain’t right.

  • Kayo Halana Malie

    No, I would not wait six years.
    No, I would not share it.

  • Dede

    Absolutely NOT

  • http://www.yourtango.com/users/cheekee-baby cheekee baby

    Something seems shady about him winning it at his parent’s convenient store. More to the story than what is being portrayed. I think that it was a customer’s ticket who really won they sat on it for a few years so the customer wouldn’t come back claiming fraud.

    • Kayo Halana Malie

      You know, I can’t remember who, but there was a hidden camera investigation where employees of stores that sold lottery tickets where falsely telling customers they didn’t win and keeping the ticket for themselves to cash in on.

      • Trisha_B

        It was on that show “what would you do.”

        • Kayo Halana Malie

          Naw, it wasn’t that one.

          • Trisha_B

            lol oh, nvm then.

      • MLS2698

        Yes. I saw that show. And those employees were dirty. I think the worst one was the lady that handed the scratcher tickets to the customer, and then said, ” here, I’ll throw them away for you.” I rarely play the lotto, but when I do, I check my tickets online. I REALLY think cheekee baby is on to something, because who would wait that long to become a millionaire? By now, there is no evidence of who purchased the ticket if cameras were in place. Somebody is a liar!

      • http://www.yourtango.com/users/cheekee-baby cheekee baby

        Yep that’s what I’m thinking.

    • Charla

      That does sound fishy. There should be some law about owners and close fam members winnng lottos at their own store. There was a guy from India I believe that told a customer that their ticket wasn’t a winner and the customer discarded it. And since that person didn’t endorse the back of the ticket, the Indian guy redeemed it and hopped back to India real quick lol.

  • Reese

    In NC, the state I live in. I think you have up to 6 months to claim your winnings. I’d probably wait a month or two, so I could get my plan together.

  • guest510

    Would I wait 6 years??? No but I’d definitely give myself some time. Would I share?? I’d pay my tithes, donate to a few charities, buy my mom a house and car, send her and my sis to college and maybe pay for a family trip. Do something nice for my grand parents. That’s as far as my sharing would go. I have this thing about not wanting grown people living off me

    • chanela

      HA! by that time all the money would be gone! people who win the lottery go broke within like 3 or 4 years because they spend spend spend and never invest.