NOTTINGHAM, Md. (AP) — Dundalk, Md., accountant Elwood “Bunky” Bartlett says a New Age bookstore made it possible for him to become an overnight multimillionaire.
“If it wasn’t for this place, I wouldn’t have won the lottery,” Mr. Bartlett said barely 24 hours after learning he held one of four winning tickets sold for Friday night’s estimated $330 million Mega Millions jackpot.
He added, matter-of-factly, that he had made a bargain with the multiple gods associated with his Wiccan beliefs. “You let me win the lottery and I’ll teach,” he said.
Mr. Bartlett plans to meet with Maryland Lottery officials tomorrowto present his ticket for confirmation, but he showed off a photocopy and greeted friends yesterday at Mystickal Voyage, the New Age gift and books shop where he occasionally teaches Wicca and Reiki healing. He arrived in the new Ford Explorer he purchased Saturday from a Ford dealership in Columbia, Md.
Maryland Lottery officials did not return telephone calls yesterday but told the Baltimore Sun for a story in yesterday’s editions that they planned to meet tomorrow with Mr. Bartlett. They told the newspaper they could not confirm the validity of the ticket before then.
The shop is about 100 yards from Walther Liquors, the store where Mr. Bartlett’s wife, Denise, purchased the winning ticket. The couple were heading to Mystickal Voyage for an event, stopped on the way for takeout food, and Mr. Bartlett waited in line while his wife purchased two $5 tickets. The numbers were chosen at random by computer.
Mr. Bartlett, 40, said his wife has a sensitive job at the Department of Defense and was waiting for guidance from her supervisors before speaking to the press.
The couple have two children, son Ryan, 21, and daughter Ashley, 18. Ashley said her father “called me at 9 o’clock [Saturday] and told me I would never have to work again in my life.” She said she plans, however, to continue in her capacity as an office manager at a men’s recovery house.
Mr. Bartlett said the lottery winnings won’t change him. “I’m going to live my life like I have been,” he said. However, he plans to invest in Mystickal Voyage, co-owned by friend Lori Perdue, with hopes of expanding the store, maybe opening a second store and possibly franchising it. “Her vision for this has always been much bigger,” he said.
Mr. Bartlett is an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church and said he was drawn to Wicca about 20 years ago. “I started learning about it and reading about it, and it just resonated with me,” he said.
Mr. Bartlett has yet to decide if he will accept his winnings as an annuity or choose the lump-sum cash option. If taken in one-lump sum payment, the estimated payout to Mr. Bartlett would be $48,615,188. Three other winning tickets were sold in New Jersey, Texas and Virginia, lottery officials said Saturday.
The odds that any ticket would match all five numbers — 8, 18, 22, 40 and 44 — and the Mega Ball number — 11 — drawn Friday night were one in 176 million.
Maryland Lottery officials delivered a large but fake $330 million check to Walther Liquors on Saturday, and Michael Leggett, son of owners Christine and John Ebmeier, posed with it for photos. The owners will receive $25,000 for selling the winning ticket.
• Associated Press Writer Kasey Jones contributed to this report.
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