One Brother Wins $7, the Other $291M

'He's not going to worry about anything'
By Luke Roney,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 7, 2016 11:14 AM CST
One Brother Wins $7, the Other $291M
Bob Stocklas ($7) with his brother James ($291 million).   (Florida Lottery)

Two Pennsylvania brothers each recently bought winning Powerball tickets while on vacation in Florida. Bob Stocklas won $7. Brother James Stocklas did a bit better, winning $291 million, CNN reports. To mark the occasion, the Florida Lottery printed up two giant novelty checks, one for Bob's paltry payout and one for James' jackpot. After taxes and splitting the pot with two friends he'd bought lottery tickets with for years, James (who opted for the lump-sum payout of $191 million) took home $40 million. The 67-year-old tells the New York Daily News that he's resisting the temptation to tell his ex-wife "the grass isn't greener anymore."

The Stocklas brothers were driving home last week after a monthlong fishing trip when they stopped at a gas station for ice and lottery tickets. On Friday, James, a retired judge, was eating breakfast at a diner and checked the numbers. Upon discovering his win, James announced, "We're rich!" and bought breakfast for everyone. He tells the Daily News that he plans on paying off his mortgage, among other things to "make life a little easier"—but he'll still fill in occasionally as a senior judge. What about Bob? "Family's family," James says. "He's not going to worry about anything." (More Florida stories.)

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