Mysterious $220 Mil Winner Steps Forward

By Stephen M. Silverman

06/16/2005 at 09:00 AM EDT

The manager of an Idaho suburban fitness center turns out to be the mysterious winner of a $220.3 million Powerball jackpot – the second-largest single-ticket Powerball winning.

Brad Duke, 33, did not make his name public after winning the drawing last month. However, his name was reported on the Web sites of two Boise TV stations on Wednesday, and on Thursday he was speaking on the Today show with his father, who said he's "always been proud" of his son.

Duke will receive about $80 million in a lump-sum payment. The state of Idaho will receive a lump-sum state income-tax check of about $10 million; the convenience store where Duke bought the ticket gets $50,000, the Associated Press reports.

On the Today show, Duke said he needed a publicity and managerial firm in place before stepping forward to deal with his victory. "I knew I had to keep it a secret in order to get my family in place," he said.

Personally, he admitted he's single and has no girlfriend, "though I do have someone who's important to me, sure." With his winnings, he may buy a new car, he said, and "I'd like to meet Metallica." (Today host Matt Lauer told Duke he could "buy Metallica.")

Duke also said when he went to cash in his ticket to claim his money, the state lottery office was closed. It was Memorial Day.