BRAINTREE, Mass. — The two co-workers had a ritual for the past 10 months. She would buy two Powerball tickets, write their names on the back, and then give him a copy.
It may have seemed a modest indulgence. The longest of long shots.
But on Wednesday night, it paid off big-time — with more than $11 million for each of them.
Rosa DeLeon, 52, of Arlington and Reginald LeBlanc, 54, of Lexington, who work at the Costco in Waltham, bought a $50 million Powerball ticket at a gas station in Lexington.
The two, who appeared at a news conference at state lottery headquarters this afternoon, opted for the $33 million lump sum payment option. After taxes are deducted, the prize comes to $23.1 million. And, true to their agreement, they plan to split it.
Both said that they were still coming to grips with the shock of winning.
"I couldn't believe it," said LeBlanc of his reaction. "I can't believe that the six numbers came out that was on the ticket."
LeBlanc, who was missing several front teeth, said he would use the money to get some dental work.
"I definitely need a lot of teeth work. That's one of my first things to get fixed," he said.
He said it had been difficult to not have teeth and it would mean "everything" to get them fixed.
DeLeon said she started playing Powerball when everyone else pitched in during some recent huge jackpots. But then, she said, for some reason, she and LeBlanc kept playing together. Twice a week.
"He told me his stories and with my stories .. I figured the good Lord just brought us together," she said. "'I said, we're going to continue playing, just the two of us.'"
The two were both working this morning — LeBlanc works in service, while DeLeon works on the floor — when LeBlanc saw the winning numbers on the television in the break room.
Asked if they were going to quit their jobs, both DeLeon and LeBlanc said Costco was a great company and they hadn't decided yet whether to quit. They also said they would continue to shop at Costco, despite their millions.
"My family can't believe it. Just like I can't. And people told Reggie and I it couldn't happen to better people," said DeLeon, who has five grown children.
The winning ticket had the numbers 8-10-25-36-44, and a Powerball of 28. The ticket was sold at Lexington Shell at 915 Waltham St., and the lucky numbers were pulled on 12/12/12.
Store manager Adam Muise said earlier today that a man claiming to be the Powerball winner had walked into the store but kept to himself.
"He really didn't say anything, just stood off to the side," Muise said. "He was really calm."
The man told Muise that he had split the ticket with a friend and was hoping to meet up with the other winner at the Shell station.
The man said he had a copy of the ticket but that his friend had the original. The man, who was apparently LeBlanc, bought nothing and left.
"We congratulated him," Muise said. "I think we were more excited than he was."
The same store sold a scratch ticket last year with a $1 million prize, said Muise, who has worked at the Shell station for three years.
"We're a pretty lucky store, I'd say," Muise said.
He is confident that the luck will continue and hopes to sell more big winners in the future.
Muise said he regrets not buying a ticket this round.
"I wish I did, because it could have been me," he said.
But he hasn't thought about what he would do with a check that large.
"I'm not really sure," Muise said. "That's a lot of money."
The owner of Lexington Shell will get a $50,000 commission for selling the lucky ticket, Bresnahan said, which is the top retailer commission offered in the Bay State.
This is the second jackpot-winning ticket sold in the state since the game was introduced to Massachusetts in January 2010, she said.
Jimmy Freeman, a retired Navy civilian worker from Fall River, took home a $25.6 million Powerball jackpot in June 2011, Bresnahan said. Freeman claimed his $13.4 million cash prize the day after the numbers were pulled.
The Powerball jackpot for Saturday, Dec. 1, resets to about $40 million, Bresnahan said.
Now i know why he was'nt smiling. A few white chiclets would of helped. Congrats to the lucky 2.
I thought this forum was for adults
Here's the lucky co-workers:
I wonder if they had a system or if it was a quick pick? Does anyone know?
I just read on another website called the Arlington Patch that they played a self pick and a quick pick and the number that won was a quick pick.
You see boys, it's all luck!!
Congratulations to the winners.....
Congratulations Powerball, 50%/50% shared, jackpot winners!!! Happy stories from each winner!
Actually, w/$9.9M net each [after further Federal Income Taxes or donations gets taken away next year], it is best for each of you to quit your job at Costco. Just don't 'cash gift' more than $1M total to family members, or buy into any businesses or heavy drugs usage. Also, schedule your annual spending limits (monthly dividends/interest only, interest + some principle, or interest + lots of principle) to account for strong possibility of your living to 100 years of age (possibly not healthy, yet dragging along).
Each of these winners could keep shopping at Costco chain if convenient to wherever each quickly move to though.
A truly remarkable story of friendship and hope for lottery winnings...both of them deserved the prizes and should enjoy their winnings...Congratulations to both of you.
Congrats to the lucky winners
I thought this forum was open to all opinions.
it should be if it isn't. these two unlikely partners branched off a costco pool of 23 workers. 21 gave up after the big jackpot got taken down. they had better leave that cold floor big lots cheesey store or they will have dagger eyes staring at them while they continue working taking a job from someone else who needs it. absolutey ludicrous that they would continue working on all counts or reasons. of course the other co-workers (although they will say we are happy for you really are insanely envious and jealous of their win). workplace lottery pools are generally a poor idea and staying out of them is advisable.
I though this forum was for the mentally challenged.
50 million has been won again, but this time in Kanas. There have been 3 back to back 50 million winners.