A waitress faces difficulties after winning $9.9 million from a lottery ticket she received as a tip from a customer.
Tonda Dickerson, a waitress from Waffle House, recently became a lottery winner, but her story hasn’t been all smooth sailing.
After winning $9.9 million on a lottery ticket, Dickerson hoped her life would change for the better.
Instead, she now faces unexpected struggles.
The waitress was tipped a lottery ticket by a customer
Tonda Dickerson, a former Waffle House waitress in Alabama, gained attention after winning a staggering $10 million lottery ticket given to her as a tip.
Her remarkable story quickly captured public interest.
On March 7, 1999, a regular customer named Edward Seward gave her a lottery ticket as a thank-you for her service.
This unexpected windfall turned out to be worth $9.9 million.
However, she didn’t know this seemingly lucky moment would lead to a series of complicated events.
Waitress struggles to live after winning $9,9M lottery ticket
Initially, Tonda felt like the luckiest woman alive.
She opted for a payout of $375,000 per year over 30 years, believing this choice would grant her financial security for life.
However, the reality of sudden wealth soon took a turn for the worse.
The legal battle
Friends and colleagues started coming forward with legal claims, arguing they deserved a share of her winnings.
They based their claims on the fact that the ticket was given as a tip.
The situation escalated into a court battle, where Tonda insisted the ticket belonged solely to her.
A jury ruled against her, stating that any agreement to share winnings was not valid under Alabama law.
This decision left her feeling betrayed, as she described her former colleagues as “rats coming out of the woodwork,” trying to take advantage of her good fortune.
Tonda Dickerson faced legal battles after winning a $10 million lottery ticket given as a tip.
Testimony from a couple indicated she discussed sharing the winnings, but she rejected a $3 million settlement.
The Alabama Supreme Court later ruled that any agreement with her coworkers was unenforceable due to state laws against gambling.
Dead threatenings from ex-husband
Furthermore, Tonda faced threats from her ex-husband, Stacy Martin, who became violent after the lottery win.
He attempted to kidnap her, leading to a dramatic confrontation in which Tonda shot him in self-defense.
Fortunately, he survived, but this incident added another layer of trauma to her already tumultuous life.
Tonda’s challenges didn’t end there.
The tax bill dispute
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also pursued her for a significant tax bill, claiming she owed around $1 million.
After years of disputes, a court ruled in her favor.
The court agreed that her lottery winnings were not taxable at the inflated amount demanded by the IRS.
Today, Tonda’s current whereabouts are somewhat of a mystery.
Social media profiles suggest she may have found a new path as a poker dealer at the Golden Nugget casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.