About 100 cheese factory workers in the Wisconsin town of St. Cloud have been celebrating — because they say they're $208 million richer now.
Wisconsin state lottery officials say no one has officially stepped forward to claim Saturday's Powerball jackpot.
But a large contingent of employees from Sargento Cheese tells WITI-TV in Milwaukee they have the winning ticket locked in a safe somewhere.
It's not clear when the group will try to redeem the ticket. Lottery spokeswoman Jessica Iverson says it can take several days or weeks for a winner to come forward.
For now, the group claiming to have won seems to be soaking in the moment.
Eric Heimermann is one member of the celebrating group. He says he's still going to work today, but he's not sure what'll happen after that.
The winning ticket was sold at Ma and Pa's Grocery Express in Fond du Lac along the so-called "Miracle Mile." South Main Street earned that nickname because several stores there sold multimillion-dollar tickets in the 1990s.
The winning numbers drawn Saturday night were 2, 3, 9, 48 and 50 and the Powerball was 23.
The jackpot is the largest in Wisconsin history, according to lottery spokeswoman Jessica Iverson. Before this drawing, the largest jackpot in the state had been a Powerball jackpot worth $195 million, won by a couple from Illinois in May 1998.
Three other tickets sold in Wisconsin matched four of the five numbers plus the Powerball on Saturday, lottery officials said. Those tickets, worth $10,000 each, were sold in Appleton, Lake Geneva and Mellen.
Powerball is played in 29 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Iverson said it can take several days or weeks for a winner to come forward. She encouraged the winner or winners to sign the ticket, put it in a safe place and contact lottery officials.
Ma and Pa's — which itself will receive $100,000 — has quite a rich history of selling winning tickets. The store sold a winning Megabucks ticket worth $6.5 million in 1994 and has sold winning tickets for $500,000, $250,000 and $100,000 too.
"We sell a lot of tickets of course. But statistically we shouldn't be selling this many winners," said Phil Moses, who owns the store with his mother Pat.
$204 million divided by 100 people = a whole lot of slices...no pun intended...
DD
Can you imagine what the owners of that company are thinking? They better start putting out the help wanted signs right now. On the other hand, what a great thing for the economy -- they will instantly have 100 job openings.
They each would be getting less than a million BEFORE withholdings (assuming they make the right choice.) I don't think too many of them would be retiring.
I don't think anyone will be changing jobs. With that many people sharing this jackpot, it dosen't lend itself to retirement. It might buy a few toys, but you better be back at work on monday, this small sum by comparison won't last long with no income.
I just said that. But I sure wouldn't turn down a 1% share of nearly $1 million cash.
If those people can quit their jobs after winning only about $90,000 each....(they still have to take out taxes also) well then all the best to them. But I doubt a prize split nearly 100 times would be actually worth retiring one.
Brad
More like 900k each. You left out a zero somewhere.
$ 900,000 Can get you into a Packers game I've got lotto tickets from that town a few years ago ITS a vortex for winners
Are there 100 cheese factory workers in the group or everyone who work in the cheese factory? Until someone ask that question and start writing the checks, they'll all be one big happy family.
That's alot of cheddar..no matter how you slice it!!
Of course these folks can retire. If they take the GUARANTEED ANNUITY, they will get a guaranteed income stream that will keep up with inflation and is likely to be slightly better than they are currently making. These second shift workers reportedly have incomes of $30,000 to $40,000. The guaranteed annuity will pay slightly more than that and will likely keep up with inflation.
People are not happy with these "little" wins anymore, but think about it. You go to work every day and bring home $40,000. Now you bring home $42,000 a year and it will keep increasing by 4% every year to keep up with inflation - a guaranteed raise - up to $131,000 a year after 29 years (which is probably worth about $42,000 in today's dollars). PLUS you aren't going to work on the second shift. Maybe you now take some time to go to school? Maybe some time to take a fun job - one you don't really care about losing - think about working at a job that you don't really need - talk about stress relief. Or maybe a job that is so fun you work harder to make it succeed - but love every minute of it?
I suppose they could take the cash too - then pay taxes, then invest what is left over and hope they invest wisely. Maybe they will spend it all quickly or lose it in investments. I know that some think that cash is the only way to go.
For these winners, this prize gives them complete freedom to quit their jobs and maintain their income - probably better than they could have otherwise done - no dealing with bosses and pushing for that cost-of-living increase every year. What more could one ask?
When we dream of what we really want, is it all really about getting a new Maybach every year? Or is it about having the freedom to spend time with your family, work on that Great American Novel, and still earn the same income you were working with before?
Note to CASH ONLY: Actually, with the federal maximum tax rate at historic lows (35%) now is about the only time in modern lottery history to even think about taking the cash - if you are a financial wizard and willing to spend your life watching your investments. And some do love to do that - I'm more of a beach-and-umbrella-drink guy myself. With around $500,000 left to invest from a cash win (after federal and state taxes), I suppose that a good stock market investment (accepting a reasonable amount of risk) might bring in $50,000 a year - but it will stay at that rate each year (while inflation goes up) unless you are not careful to invest back some of the income. Of course, there are those bad years where you will be eating a lot of beans and living with your parents again, or maybe with a friend in the group who took the annuity.
chuck32,
Thanks for adding a dose of reality to the discussion. It can be very monotonous to see Cash Only's lop-sided mantra about "only taking a cash option", and I completely agree with you that there are also good qualities to taking the annuity. I'll wager that the people who take annuity (with the annually-increasing amount) will love the fact that they get an increase every year.
By the way, will Wisconsin allow the winners to decide independently if they want cash or annuity, or will they all have to choose the same thing?
Congratulations to the lucky gang over in St Cloud. Driven through there a couple of times ...pretty place.
I guess that good things do happen to those who ..."say yes to cheese" :)
Onward and upward to the next jackpot!! Good Luck to all.
Sure they could quit their jobs. If it is $900,000 they get, they can put it in Bonds and get $45,000 a year for as long as they have it invested and never touch the principle. That's what I plan to do if and when I win. I'm going to get the HELL out of a 40 hour week job! AMEN!
I just wish it would hurry up and happen. I mostly play to win Powerplay, I think I have a better chance at that than the Jackpot. I wish luck to all for future plays.
I'm guessing Wisconsin will make the winners all go one way or the other. I don't think the group wants to take over the record for the largest prize paid as an annuity (which was set by a Wisconsin couple 13 years ago).
Wow congrats to them. That is a lot of winners to split a jackpot. At least they ended up with more money then they started with!
congrats to the winners, and I hope there is not a 101st employee out there tring to find a lawyer to get himself a portion of that share. Hope they had a lock tight method of playing a pool
The Wisconsin Lottery has to deal with an odd law - there can only be one winner of a jackpot prize. Without a court order, they cannot write multiple checks, but the order has not been too difficult to get.
I don't think the lottery has ever considered whether a prize can be split cash and annuity (by winner, the IRS won't allow splitting for one winner). The Multi-State Lottery Assoc. can do that pretty easily and can provide the differrent amounts to the lottery. With 100 winners, there is likely to be some number that will go for the annuity.
Congrats to the group! Hope they enjoy my 20 dollar contribution and spend it on some crackers : dats allotta cheese!
Personally I am ALL for lottery pools, but I must be realistic and say that having 99 others divy out doesnt leave much left to the small american dream . May they do what is right for their lifestyle :)
I'm from Wisconsin and unfortunatley not one of the winners LOL. Because it's one ticket they all have to decide cash or annuity. I use to drive up to Fond du Lac and buy tickets at that store, but with gas prices the way they are and that place being over 40 miles from home I haven't bought from there in a while. They will get a little over $600,000. after taxes etc. If your like 59 I'd say you could take a chance and retire, but most look pretty young 30's maybe some 20's . I don't think I'd try to retire on that amount unless you were going to supplement your income with some job you'd take because thats what you like to do ( sports store sales person, motorcyle sales,) or whatever they enjoy and up there it's hunting fishing etc. then they would maybe able to pull it off with some smart investing and being able to enjoy life to the max.
After all the dividing and taxing, they should still have plenty enough to buy one of those Wisconsin state quarters with the "extra" leaf on the corn.
Whey.............to gooooooooo
factory chee$$$$$e worker$$$$$!!!!
(pass the chee$e.......please.......for a PICK-5.........)
We got the "cracker$$$" down here!!
LOL...(is it really true......Yaw'aalllllll ......got the ticket now?)
PSYKOMO
One thing the story didn't mention is Phil Moses, the owner of Ma & Pa's, himself has won a jackpot from his own store. It was last year or the year before he bought a Badger 5 ticket from his own terminal. He won a jackpot I want to say was around $140,000. Not sure exactly but is was somewhere around there. It defies logic but this store sells a lot of winning tickets. Oh yeah, forgot to mention. Moses also got an additional $2500 for selling that ticket.
I *was* going to go to Fond Du Lac, but an appointment was an hour late and I was too busy to go. I WOLD havegone to that store like I have done it about 15 times before.....
And then tonight my Illinois Little lotto ticket was 1 number off tonight, so instead of getting $490,000 I get $100.... So close yet so far... :-(
MarkP
I agree, If I would make say $500K after takes, I'm INSTANTLY retired...
I would be instantly making my living day trading...
SCREW WORK!!!!!
1 number off of 1/2 million $$$$ tonight :-( Sniff sniff...
MarkP
Here is a partial list of tickets won at that store...
6.? mil megabucks
$250,000 supercash
$250,000 supercash...
a couple of Badger 5's.... $80K and some more...
208 mil PB...
plus others...
MarkP
Yeah, they have all the cheese, and all I have is the whine... :-(
Plenty of whining here... :-)
MarkP
I'd love to have $600,000 net. However, I agree that if the winners are young and have families, they will still want to keep working. So what's wrong with that? I'm not saying I could do it, but if I were 25 or 30 and smart enough not to go wild with the money, it would be better to invest it safely and let it double every 10 years and retire early. It all depends on whether or not a person needs instant gratification or can look beyond today. Even if someone continues to work for just 10 or 12 years, isn't living off the interest of $1.2M a lot better than $600M? That said, a young family might want to buy a new home. Real estate is usually a good investment. No matter what, these people are much better off than they were before they won. They're also very fortunate the jackpot was so high and rolled over so many times with 100 people splitting it.
By the way, did I miss something or did the article say how many tickets were purchased?
WOW!!!!!!!!!!! thats a lot of cheese, how about a crumb for the.....
congratulations to all the cheese, i mean all of them.......