Indiana Lottery: Group of 17 gets $9.7 million Indiana Lottery jackpot
A group of 17 people from Lake County, Indiana claimed a $9.7 million Hoosier Lottery jackpot on Tuesday.
They took the $5.2 million immediate cash option for the Jan. 31 jackpot. After taxes, each winner will receive about $219,000.
The county's previous lottery champ was Crown Point resident Landry McKee, who won $5 million in 1991.
After learning they won earlier this month, the group incorporated itself as Kenyon LLC and on Tuesday sent its attorney, Brian Popp, to Indianapolis to claim the prize.
"They're an average Joe family," said Popp of the Kenyon group, who range in age from 3 to 67. "Right now they're just going to take their time. These are working people. They're all looking out for one another. And while it's not enough money that they'll be set for life, it really helps out."
One member of the group is from Porter County, he said. The rest live in Lake County.
Popp said the winners plan to spend their prize on travel, paying off student loans and establishing trust funds for their children and grandchildren. All the adults are keeping their jobs.
Lottery spokesman Andrew Reed said that winners of large prizes often seek anonymity to maintain a sense of normalcy.
"A lot of folks don't want the notoriety," he said.
The winning ticket for the Jan. 31 drawing -- 4-30-34-36-44-48 -- was a $1 quick pick purchased at The Hen in Crown Point by a man known to employees only as "Jim." Hen owners Bill and Vicki Filter will receive a $100,000 bonus.
The Jan. 31 drawing also had 14 players match five of the six numbers to win $1,341 each, and 758 tickets match four numbers to win $49 apiece.
Despite their winnings, the Kenyon group will "absolutely" keep playing the lottery, Popp said.
When some of the winners were at lottery headquarters Tuesday, he said, "One of the people said, 'Hey, do you guys sell lottery tickets here?' "
The winning ticket was purchased at White Hen in Crown Point, Ind. The retailer will receive a $100,000 cash bonus.