Homeless Man Wins Lotto, Plans To Share It With Friends

A homeless man in South Carolina who won $50,000 with a scratch-off ticket could use the money to secure more stable housing or put in the bank for lean times — but Dennis Mahurin, who has been homeless for more than 30 years, has decided to do something a bit more altruistic with his windfall.

Depending on your lifestyle, $50,000 is all the money in the world or a few months of bills and expenses. But if you live in a tent and experience food insecurity, like Mahurin, it’s a big deal, and it makes sense that the homeless lotto winner might hold on tight to that sort of fortune.

But having lived rough for 50 years, Mahurin is not gearing up to make any changes, even with the lotto fortune he got from the scratch off. When asked about how the homeless man plans to allocate his funds — a check for which will arrive in four to six weeks — he says that he intends to purchase another tent and care for his buddies.

Answering the question precisely, he said:

“[I’m going to] buy another tent. I’m paying it forward. All the guys camped out back there, I’m gonna give them each $100.”

Local Sandra Rankin works in the convenience store where Mahurin bought the lucky lotto card, and she says the homeless man is deserving of a very nice surprise.

She says:

“He is a great guy, has an awesome sense of humor … I care deeply for him and he is a very decent gentleman. He comes into my store three to four times a day.”

The homeless lotto winner has lived on the streets of Bloomington, Illinois since 1978.