DETROIT (AP) – A Detroit suburban lottery club with four members won a $ 1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot and will receive $ 557 million after tax, officials said on Friday.
The winners claimed their prize weeks after the January 22nd draw. and chose the immediate lump sum option. After taxes, the payment of $ 776 million has been reduced to about $ 557 million, said the Michigan Lottery.
The names of the four members of the Oakland County Club have not been released. The Wolverine FLL Club had the only jackpot winning ticket.
“This type of money will impact the families of members of our club for many generations. We intend to remain humble and pay through charitable donations in southeastern Michigan, ”said attorney Kurt Panouses on behalf of the winners.
The $ 1.05 billion jackpot was the largest in the history of the Michigan Lottery and the third largest in the United States. Mega Millions is played in 45 states, as well as in Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands.
The winning ticket was purchased almost as an afterthought at a Kroger grocery store in Detroit’s Novi suburb.
“A member of the club saw a sign that the jackpot was up to $ 1 billion and remembered that he had not yet bought the tickets, so he joined Kroger,” said Panouses. “When you play, of course, you dream of winning, but the reality of that is incredible.”
Kroger said it would donate its $ 50,000 commission to the Michigan Food Bank Council.
There was much public speculation immediately after the draw that a group of Novi teachers had won. David Ascher, director of Novi Woods Elementary School, drowned out the rumors.
“Everyone came to work today, which was really good,” said Escher two days after the draw. “I bought donuts for everyone today, which seemed to help too.”
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