'A handshake is a handshake': Wisconsin man splits $22 million lottery win with friend honouring decade-old pact

'He called me and I said, "are you jerking my bobber?"'

Thomas Cook, left, and Joseph Feeney, right, pictured with their wives after collecting their Powerballprize (WILottery)

A man who won $22 million in the lottery has split his winnings with a friend after they shook hands 20 years ago and agreed to share any future winnings.

Tom Cook discovered that he had won the multimillion-dollar sum on the Wisconsin lottery on a Powerball ticket on 10 June and swiftly remembered a deal he had made with his friend Joseph Feeney in 1992.

The two men had sworn over a handshake that if either one won the Powerball jackpot, they would split the winnings, no matter who bought the ticket.

When Mr Cook realised he had won a whopping $22 Million jackpot he called his friend to tell him the news and make good on his word, but Mr Feeney could hardly believe the news.

“He called me and I said, ‘are you jerking my bobber?’” Mr Feeney, an avid fisherman, said to Mr Cook when he learned of the win.

“A handshake is a handshake, man,” Mr Cook said in an interview with the Wisocnsin Lottery.

Following the news, Mr Cook swiftly gave his two weeks notice to join Mr Feeney in retirement and the two are thrilled to plan their futures.

The men have said they don’t have any extravagant plans for spending the fortune but are looking forward to a comfortable retirement filled with family time and travelling.

“We can pursue what we feel comfortable with. I can’t think of a better way to retire,” said Mr Cook.

The overall odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338. After choosing a cash option of approximately $16.7 Million Mr Cook and Mr Feeney each received about $5.7 Million after federal and state taxes.

“Congratulations to Tom, Joe, and their families,” said Wisconsin Lottery Director Cindy Polzin.

“The power of friendship and a handshake has paid off. I’m thrilled for them—their lucky day has arrived!”