Nebraska Plant Workers Hit Jackpot
A group of eight coworkers in Lincoln, Nebraska have stepped forward to claim the record $365 million Powerball jackpot for the February 18th drawing. These coworkers all work at a ConAgra ham processing plant, a short distance from the U-Stop convenience store where they bought the winning ticket.
The winning numbers drawn Saturday were 15, 17, 43, 44 and 48, with a Powerball number of 29. The owners of the winning tickets had the option of taking the money in one lump sum or installments over 30 years. The group elected to take the cash option on the jackpot, valued at $177.3 million. Their respective shares will be $22,162,500. After withholding of 25 percent federal and 5 percent state tax, they will share $124.11 million or $15.5 million, respectively. Interestingly enough, this $15.5 million figure is only half a million more than the minimum starting Powerball jackpot.
The group bought their winning ticket, eight, five-play quick pick tickets worth a total of $40, at the U-Stop convenience store in Lincoln. Members of the group told Nebraska Lottery officials that some of them have been playing Powerball for up to five years, pooling their resources to buy multiple tickets whenever the jackpot eclipses $45 million. Each has contributed $5 at a time to buy a total of eight five-play quick pick tickets for each drawing.
The eight members of the group are Quang Dao, 56; David Gehle, 53; Alain Maboussou, 26; Chasity Rutjens, 29; Robert Stewart, 30; Michael Terpstra, 47; Dung Tran, 34; and Eric Zornes, 40.
Some members of this group joked with the press yesterday about their plans for the prize, noting that islands and planes would be purchased. However, on a whole the group seemed content to carry on life as usual and all stressed that they would not even consider leaving their place of employment, at least until replacements are lined up.
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