Mega Millions / Powerball: Michigan workers claim Mega Millions, Powerball lottery jackpotsRating:Call it a jackpot bonanza.
Factory workers in Detroit and Kalamazoo are winners of multimillion-dollar lottery prizes.
Fourteen workers — called the "Lucky 13 Plus One" lottery club — at the Chrysler plant in Detroit that makes the Dodge Viper will share in last week's $96.6 million Powerball pot, while five workers at a Kalamazoo factory will share $36 million in the Mega Millions drawing.
"Bells and whistles went off," said William Shanteau, when he took the winning ticket to Shirley's Carryout in Curtice, Ohio, to verify the winning numbers. Shanteau told Ohio lottery officials he had a dream the night before the drawing about winning the big prize.
Shanteau, who lives in Curtice, is the group's "Plus One" member. The rest of the winners, who all work in the Chrysler Jefferson North Assembly paint shop, are from the Detroit area.
They are, according to Ohio Lottery officials, Phyllis L. Adams of Southfield, Kevin B. Bostic of Ypsilanti, Leonard Daddario of Trenton, Ignazio Giambra of Dearborn, Christopher Jackson of Redford Township, James J. Jones of Troy, Robert S. King of Monroe, Daynalynn Lesniak-Hertel of Imlay City, Billy McGill of Flat Rock, Roy L. Rutledge of Dryden, and April Sparks-Griffin, Audra Knight and Gerald Thompson, all of Detroit.
Giambra wouldn't comment beyond saying they wanted to keep the news private. Attempts to reach the other winners were unsuccessful.
Each will get a lump-sum payment of $1.2 million. The jackpot had two winning tickets, with the other one sold in Montana.
The Ohio Lottery expects at least two of the winners to be at a news conference Thursday.
The Powerball win is Ohio's second since joining the game April 16.
The five Kalamazoo factory workers came forward Monday in Lansing to claim their winnings and receive a ceremonial oversized check.
"We're still in shock," said group spokesman Bernard Thelen, 51, of Portage. "We're planning on paying off our debts and getting into a good financial spot."
The winners are part of the RRRLB Lottery Club and will split $23.3 million after state and federal taxes. The name of the club is the first letters of each of their names: Rick, Randy, Randy, Larry and Bernard.
The group played the lottery together for about three years before landing their big win, according to Thelen. The largest win for the group previously had been $150.
The other members of the club withheld their last names and they wouldn't reveal the name of their employer.
The group bought its ticket at One Stop Mart on Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo. The store gets a $50,000 commission.
The $36 million Mega Millions jackpot claimed today rolled over four times before hitting June 11. Michigan's last Mega Millions jackpot was won in October 2008.
Forty-two states participate in the Mega Millions game, with drawings Tuesdays and Fridays.
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
