Poll of the Day > Man gives HALF of his 22 MILLION to FRIEND cause he PROMISED! Would you do it???

(+) Yeah! (+)

Thomas Cook from Wisconsin made a HANDSHAKE deal with his BEST FRIEND of 30 years that if they ever win the lottery, they would SPLIT it..and he honoured that deal today when he gave him HALF of his 22 MILLION powerball jackpot!!

He gave 11 million smackers to his lifelong friend, Tom Feeney after letting him know that he won the June 10 Powerball and that he was going to give him half as agreed to in 1992 on a game they started and ended on a handshake

Feeney told him "re you jerking my bobber" when he Tom said he was giving half.

They took their wives to the Wisconsin Lottery in Madison and collected their winnings to show he was serious

After years of buying lottery tickets, Cook was finally a winner when he bought the ticket at Synergy Coop Exist 45 gas station and convenience store and realized he won while eating breakfast with his wife.

He froze when he saw the matching numbers and then his wife froze

He gave 2 weeks notice at his job that he was leaving and then said he promised his friend he'd share it 30 years ago..and so he did

In tom's eyes a "handshake is a handshake"

Feeney was already retired from working at the fire department as neither have elaborate plans for the money except spend time with the family cause of covid barring travelling elsewhere

Would you honour that deal if you were Thomas?

https://i.imgur.com/vwBnNNP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qr5gJqv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jHrLZb3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1WIqZz6.jpg
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I probably wouldn't make such a promise without a more formal agreement, but in the event that I did, I'd honour it. I value my word, and 11 million is more than enough for me to live comfortably on.

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I would because I'm not a filthy welcher

If I'm stupid enough to make the deal I'll honor it.

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id do the same tbh
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VeeVees posted...

If I'm stupid enough to make the deal I'll honor it.

Yep, but I'm pragmatic enough I wouldn't make such a vow. People blow through winnings very quickly sometimes trying to give to everyone. I'd help out to family/friends in need, but not to the level of giving it all away. (I wouldn't waste it on insane luxury or over the top things either. I'm already happy with what I have.) If I made such a promise I'd never back out though.
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Well if i won this much money i'd give my best friend some of it even without a promise..

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sodium-chloride posted...

I would because I'm not a filthy welcher

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Yes

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Violet_Blooded posted...

Well if i won this much money i'd give my best friend some of it even without a promise..

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What a great friendship.

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all of the people who begged for money probably wouldnt have upheld their end of the bargain if they won

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If I've made a deal with someone I stick to it yes. Just as I'd expect them to stick to it too. Even more so if it's a friend you've had for 30 years. You can't put a price on that.

Violet_Blooded posted...

Well if i won this much money i'd give my best friend some of it even without a promise..

This too. They wouldn't even need to ask.

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Yup...it's a Karma thing.

And at their ages, do they really need all that much $$$?

Yes.

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Good on him.

Oh, and apparently the two have been very close so I guess it'd kill the friendship if he didn't do it >_>

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/07/24/two-wisconsin-friends-split-powerball-winnings-making-good-old-promise/5502867002/

The two met decades back at, well, a restaurant.
Cook was already sitting at a table with a friend and invited Feeney to sit next to them. In the years since, they've traveled together to Niagra Falls, Yellowstone and the Football Hall of Fame. They grab a meal together almost every week.
Cook, a maintenance worker, retired after winning the Powerball. Feeney, a former firefighter and EMT, had already retired.

VeeVees posted...

If I'm stupid enough to make the deal I'll honor it.

Well, technically the only stupidity is not being sure the other guy would honor his side without something in writing.

pionear posted...

Yup...it's a Karma thing.

And at their ages, do they really need all that much $$$?

Considering he didn't even have enough money to retire before now, he kinda did. And keep in mind that it's not really $11m apiece, after taxes you're probably looking at $6m (just checked and it's actually $5.7m, but I was close; this is the lump sum option). And it's not like they're so old that they can't travel, etc. They look like they're in their late 50s or early 60s.


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