4 tickets win $330 million lottery jackpot

Sep 1, 2007, 10:28 am (19 comments)

Mega Millions

The odds of winning the estimated $330 million Mega Millions jackpot were one in 176 million.

But lottery officials said early Saturday that four people — one each in Maryland, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia — did just that.

In addition to the grand prize winners from Friday night's drawing, 36 players matched all five numbers but not the Mega Ball number. They will receive second prizes of $250,000 each.

Another 215 players matched four numbers, plus the Mega Ball number - good for third prizes of $10,000 each.

The winning numbers were: 8, 18, 22, 40 and 44. The Mega Ball number was 11.

If estimates of the jackpot hold true, it would be the fourth-largest in the lottery's history. It was known as The Big Game when it awarded jackpots of $363 million in 2000 and $331 million in 2002.

A winning Mega Millions ticket was sold at Walther Liquors in Nottingham, Md., Maryland Lottery Director Buddy Roogow said.

The person who bought the ticket purchased five quick-pick tickets, costing a total of $5, Roogow said. That winner had not come forward, he said.

"You have a better chance of being hit by lightning at the same place and time every day for a week" than winning Mega Millions, Roogow said.

It was not immediately known if winners in other states had come forward. Mega Millions tickets are also sold in California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Washington.

Players lined up at retailers Friday for a chance to win despite the long odds.

Campark Liquors general manager Karie Gandy said that "lines have been unbelievable" at the Woodbine, N.J., store, which sold one of the two winning tickets for the record $390 million Mega Millions jackpot in March.

"We've had people calling us from out of state wanting to send us money so we can mail them tickets," she said. "Obviously we haven't because we're not allowed to do that."

In Buffalo, N.Y., a Wilson Farms convenience store had a steady line of eight to 10 people waiting to buy tickets.

"People are buying $100 worth at a time, for themselves, for offices. They're flying," said cashier Ashley Woloszyn.

The 19-year-old said she'd probably keep working even if she won the jackpot.

"You need to see a shrink," chimed in customer Jim Dole, who bought $20 in tickets.

The mega-jackpot was paying off for Savannah retailers near Georgia's border with South Carolina, which isn't among the 12 states where Mega Millions tickets are sold.

Peggy Davis, a manager at Brown's Chevron in downtown Savannah, said the store had sold more than $1,000 in Mega Millions tickets by noon Friday.

"That's about two or three times what we'd normally sell by that time of the day," said Davis, who expected heavier sales once people left work.

For selling the winning ticket, Walther Liquors will receive a $25,000 commission, a lottery official said.

AP

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MissNYC's avatarMissNYC

Eh well, better luck for me next time. Four winners and 36 2nd prize winners, is that a record or something? How much do you think they will end up with each? In any case, it was fun while it lasted. Hopefully the jackpots will be bigger more often than they've been in the last two years, it's definately more exciting once it crosses the 200 million dollar mark.

LckyLary

IN an update to this story on the 1010wins website the Maryland Lottery director said that the odds of winning were the same as "being struck by lighting in the same spot at the same time every day for a week". that is gross exaggeration, the odds of being struck by lighting are 100K to 1 or thereabouts so the odds of being in the same spot every day for a week and a lightning storm happening every day for a week in that location etc. must be at least in the trillions. Anyway anytime the odds are quoted it is based on ONE ticket for ONE drawing, and as you know most people buy at least 5.

I don't know where the nj winner was sold yet. (they should say "4 winning tickets sold", not "4 people won") I went down to Stop&Shop, hoping to see a convoy of News vans and reporters waiting patiently with microphones and maybe some balloons and whatnot adorning the supermarket entrance, but no such thing was found. So unless I have a stray ticket I forgot I played, it wasn't me. I always play in several locations so that at least the odds are higher that it was the same store.

dumars798's avatardumars798

WTG 2 ALL!

Tx_Mega_Player's avatarTx_Mega_Player

In Texas, 2 of the 3 "5 of 5" winning tickets were sold at the same Exxon gas station in San Antonio, and they were not quick picks.

Lurk More N00b's avatarLurk More N00b

I'm just glad it was multiple winners. It's better to make four people extremely happy than to make one person yet another pompous, morally corrupted "Jack-ass". Congratulations to the winners. Keep buying tickets and build my jackpot, please. Wink

One2Adore's avatarOne2Adore

Damn... so close, yet so far.  I'm in Maryland and can play in both Maryland and Virginia (mega million) plus DC (powerball).   And now two of those three sites  sold winning tickets and none were mines.  Angry No Nod  Unfortunately Maryland and Virginia are pretty big and the places that win in those states are never near where I am.  Why is that? Hmmmm....

TheGameGrl's avatarTheGameGrl

Rarely do I get *cheerleader* on a particular state to win, but by golly..Three cheers for a Mega Winner in maryland! I play there and am pleased that at least my loss is their gain!

Very pleased to see it split in four tickets! There will be no GRANDSTANDING when the person leaves with a little over 36 million cash.  My only sore spot is that Maryland recoups twice on tickets, one thru sales and then again when they tax the person at 7%....

MissNYC's avatarMissNYC

I'm happy 4 winning tickets were sold also, otherwise I would feel more bitter, or I guess jealous. I still wish it was me though, one day I hope it will be!

spy153's avatarspy153

Quote: Originally posted by MissNYC on Sep 1, 2007

I'm happy 4 winning tickets were sold also, otherwise I would feel more bitter, or I guess jealous. I still wish it was me though, one day I hope it will be!

I second that. 

Guru101's avatarGuru101

Congratulations to the winners. $82.5M is certainly more than enough for 1 person.

fwlawrence's avatarfwlawrence

Wow-some guy nicknamed Bunky won.  Wait a minute--Bunky???

Litebets27's avatarLitebets27

You are so right.

I understand, the owner of the store that sold the winning ticket here in Maryland threw a party for the patrons that came into the store on Saturday. I was told that the young couple that won went out early Saturday morning and picked up a new car from a Ford dealership with out putting out any money. Now this is "hear say" from someone who went to the store Saturday morning. She seemed to know alot about the winners. She said she isn't related but that the couple is young and good people (Spritual Healers). I'm happy for them, but they need to lay-low.

litebets

four4me

Quote: Originally posted by Litebets27 on Sep 2, 2007

You are so right.

I understand, the owner of the store that sold the winning ticket here in Maryland threw a party for the patrons that came into the store on Saturday. I was told that the young couple that won went out early Saturday morning and picked up a new car from a Ford dealership with out putting out any money. Now this is "hear say" from someone who went to the store Saturday morning. She seemed to know alot about the winners. She said she isn't related but that the couple is young and good people (Spritual Healers). I'm happy for them, but they need to lay-low.

litebets

litebets check out the sun

http://www.baltimoresun.com/

look at the maryland section where it says dundalk winner.

Litebets27's avatarLitebets27

Quote: Originally posted by four4me on Sep 2, 2007

litebets check out the sun

http://www.baltimoresun.com/

look at the maryland section where it says dundalk winner.

Thanks Four4me.

I guess my informant was telling the truth, although she left out the fact that the Spritual Healers are Witches and Warlocks. There seems to be a big following of Wicca in this area. I wonder if it helped them to win the big one!

Wow! They're going to be featured on the 11:00 news.

litebets

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