Columnist John Katsilometes: Megathoughts about a Megawinner

Sunday, June 6, 1999 | 9:33 a.m.

He's a shy guy, pushing 50, not altogether healthy but quite rich and cautious with his cash.

He won the $21,351,116.56 Megabucks jackpot Tuesday night, lining up three golden Megabucks symbols and plopping down on a stool to calmly await his prize.

He chose to remain anonymous, ostensibly to be left alone and be treated like any other regular Joe.

So that's what we'll call him. Joe.

We know Joe is a professional type who not long ago fell ill and was hospitalized for a time. We imagine Joe had a heart ailment, maybe underwent a bypass procedure and had to leave his job as a certified public accountant. But Joe is feeling OK these days, good enough to return to work if he so desired.

Joe likes to travel, yet is a somewhat reclusive Midwesterner who lives in Illinois. He flew to Las Vegas without companion to both clear his head and have some fun.

Joe -- who could have simply gone camping closer to home to gather his thoughts -- is probably a little contradictory. Who flies to Las Vegas to mellow out? He easily could've gathered his thoughts at any campsite close to home, but we wonder: Does Joe have hay fever and loathe the outdoors? Is he an animal-rights activist who refuses to hunt, fish or trespass into the world of the wild?

Joe has a sweet tooth, this is certain. The prevailing reason why he ventured into Caesars in the first place was to buy cake and coffee at the La Piazza food court. Joe is a slave to routine; he told employees he has cake and coffee at La Piazza at least once every time he visits Las Vegas. He really likes the cake.

But Joe can be impulsive. He dropped $1,000 at a neighboring resort before arriving at Caesars and was down to his last $100. This, fairly early on a Tuesday night. After consuming his snack, Joe spied a bank of Megabucks machines, broke his last C-note into tens and waded into the casino.

This is unlike Joe. Because he once worked with numbers and calculations, he is well aware of the probabilities related to the Megabucks jackpot. He had to know there was no chance he'd win the second-largest Megabucks jackpot in history.

Yet, probably buzzing from sugar and caffeine and lured by blazing lights and blaring bells, Joe took the plunge. He carefully plugged a $10 bill into a machine and watched as it locked up.

Joe is one cool customer, perhaps mellowed by his so-so ticker. He was calm and poised, easily befriending the Caesars Palace officials who raced to the scene.

But something happened that might've rattled Joe, who is without partner and possibly divorced. He began to receive countless marriage proposals, both from casino visitors and employees. They were all in high spirits, but seemed serious with their overtures.

Joe was quickly whisked away and led to a nearby office. Curiously, this man who is without question familiar with Las Vegas protocol did not offer a gratuity. He was friendly, gregarious and impressed everyone, but did not tip, which hotel officials dismissed as a mere oversight prompted by all the confusion.

Joe is home now, living in anonymous bliss and figuring out ways to spend his annual $850,000 payments from International Game Technology. It would be fitting to loosen those purse strings and tip out, Joe.