Powerball winner uses $9 million to bail boyfriend out of jail on drug charges

We all promise to do great things if we can only win the lottery.

Marie Holmes (second from left) won $88 million (after taxes) in a Powerball drawing.

Credit: George Mathis

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Credit: George Mathis

I think creating a South DeKalb baseball center to rival the one in East Cobb would create an awesome crosstown rivalry (and maybe generate some Braves players that know how to hit).

My wife thinks it would be cool to not work.

A North Carolina woman who netted $88 million (after taxes) in a February Powerball drawing has spent $9 million to keep her boyfriend out of jail.

It was the largest jackpot in N.C. history.

The attractive and well-spoken mom, Marie Holmes, got quite a bit of media attention after saying the win made her "humble and grateful." Her goal, she said, was to donate to her church and charity, help her mom, finish college and find a nice place for her and her four children to live.

Holmes, from Shallote, N.C., (near the coast just north of South Carolina) had worked at Wal-Mart, Food Lion, KFC, Subway and multiple other places to support her kids, one of whom has cerebral palsy.

But her live-in boyfriend, Lamarr Andre McDow, aka 'Hot Sauce', keeps getting thrown into jail.

Holmes has, on separate occasions, put $3 million and $6 million at risk by bailing Hot Sauce out of hot water, according to media reports.

Reports indicate McDow was arrested last November on criminal charges included heroin trafficking. Holmes, soon after winning the $88 million, paid a $3 million bond to have him released.

He was arrested in July for failure to meet curfew requirements and she put up another $6 million to spring her man. During the search of the home Holmes shares with McDow, police found less than half an ounce of marijuana and arrested Holmes on misdemeanor drug charges. Police also found a gun belonging to McDow.

McDow was arrested again Monday for having that gun while being a convicted felon. The bail was $10,000 and he was quickly released.

There's nothing that says you have to do great things after you win the lottery, but bailing a repeat offender out of jail doesn't seem like a wise investment.