Robert Harris, an iron worker, has claimed his Mega Million Jackpot prize worth US$275 million. This photo shows Robert and his wife, Tonya, at the lottery office in Atlanta, Georgia, during a check presentation on February 25, 2008.

Robert & Tonya Harris
Photo Credit: AP Photo/John Amis

News reports say that Robert Harris is 47 and has quit his job as soon as he found out that he has won the Mega Million jackpot. Who wouldn’t? Wow, some people said that America is a land of opportunities but it is only true if they have the luck to win mega million jackpots like these.

Otherwise, there are still many people living in trailers, being homeless, working three job to make ends meet, living from paycheck to paycheck if they are lucky or they could opt for payday loans.

What would you do if you have won such an obscene amount of money? Robert opted for cash lump sum for his prize money and it still translates to US$167 million before taxes. Now, the difference between winning a lottery prize in the US and in Malaysia is that in the US you will have to pay taxes but in Malaysia, taxes have already been imposed on the lottery ticket at the point of purchase so lottery prize money is tax free, as far as I know.

Whatever it is, jackpots like these should go to poor people like me!