Includes video report
By Todd Northrop
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A group of 20 co-workers are the winners of Saturday's $421 million Powerball jackpot on a ticket sold in Tennessee.
The employees of the North American Stamping Group in Portland, Tennessee, play the lottery twice a week, buying at least 60 tickets and usually rolling any of their winnings into the next drawing. While they said they would be playing again, they aren't investing the $254.7 million lump sum this time around.
Each of the "Tennessee 20," as they quickly dubbed themselves after the big win, will take home about $12.7 million. The total revenues for North American Stamping Group were about $103 million in 2015.
One of the group said at a press conference at Tennessee Lottery headquarters that the company's president asked if all 20 would be quitting immediately. While some of the employees are indeed taking early retirement, all promised their boss they would stay on long enough to train replacements.
"This money is going to be a blessing for so many people," one of the winners said, noting that while all would be spending some on themselves, all also had charity plans for some of the cash.
And at least one of them has some auto repairs to make.
"I was on my way home (from Nashville) last night and my 'Check Engine' light came on. I don't have to get frantic about that anymore," the man said.
This is the sixth time the winning Powerball ticket was sold in Tennessee and is the 200th time a Tennessee ticket netted at least $1 million.
"All this time playing has been fun, but I never truly thought we would win," said Amy O'Neal, the group's spokesperson. "It's still sinking in, but we're having a blast."
The winners, from 13 different cities in the mid-south, primarily handle sales and quality control at North American Stamping Group, an auto parts manufacturing plant.
The lucky ticket was sold at Smokeshop, 711 Scottsville Road, Lafayette, Tenn. Owner Joyce Gregory was on-hand to receive a $25,000 selling bonus and to join Amy, a long-time loyal customer, the other winners, family members and Tennessee Lottery staff members.
Immediate plans varied — from a vacation in Italy, helping family with medical bills, sending children to college and purchasing new vehicles — but one thing was unanimous: the desire to help others.
"This group has a heart of gold," said Steve Huffman, who lives in Macon County. "They always have and they always will."
The prize is the second-largest in Tennessee Lottery history. In January, a family from Mumford won $528 million, splitting the record $1.58 billion jackpot with winners from California and Florida.
Tennessee Powerball winners
Saturday's Powerball jackpot win is the sixth time a player from Tennessee has won. The previous winners are:
- $528.8 million jackpot won by a Munford family in January 2016, who split the $1.58 billion world-record jackpot with winners in two other states.
- $259.8 million prize won in Knoxville, June 2014
- $144.1 million prize won in Antioch in November 2015
- $50 million won in Knox County, March 2015
- $25.5 million won in South Pittsburgh, March 2005
RAW VIDEO: Watch the press conference
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
l love it. Come to think of it, l did throw out the suggestion of whether it's a good idea to join a pool or not for that particular jackpot. At least these guys were listening. .
Enjoy your reward folks- you earned it.
I am so happy for the winners I had a feeling it was more than one winner this time and look at that 20 winners what a blessing for all of them.
Tennessee 20 ? why not the Tenny twenny ?
@ any rate...or any name I'm glad to see a pool won.
BTW, check engine light on ?
1st thing to check is see if your gas cap is on correctly, and if not, after correcting it
drive the car to let the computer reset...before getting frantic.
20 winners? That's really cool. I'd be more than happy with 12.7 million take home.
Hey Local s jersian. I just tried to inbox you with that funny name. Your inbox is full. I don't know if we met on here yet but nice to meet you.
Wow and they claimed that prize really fast.
Very interesting and I guess if that is what they want to help boom their economy yes. Good reference I will say. Great terms with their company person so that is cool.
I wonder if they had a backup plan with the money coming into them. In other words lawyer, accountant, financial advisor. I don't like to hear that someone screwed something up. If you all know what I mean.
.
Yes, OK. To find out that 20 persons will actually take part in the win is a lot less of a bummer
(that I didn't win anything).
Previously, I had posted about how bummed out I was that I didn't win a dime
(actually, I won 2 bucks), but that there was only one jackpot winner. I knew better - that 1 ticket could represent many people. I used to manage a small lotto pool, myself, where I used to work.
OK, I'm happy for them.
(I'm still generally bummed, like I always am, at the end of a large drawing,
which I somehow ALWAYS seem to know ahead of time, that I'm not a winner.)
Groppo... You won two bucks more than I did.
.
Yes. It would be more than enough for me, as well.
A very nice house, somewhere in Californy,
Harley (Though I recently bought a bike. And it's not a Harley, but I love it.),
A Porsche to race, AND a daily driver
A couple donations
Congratulations to the lucky winners......
What an awesome story!! I wish them all a very Merry Christmas!! Congratulations!
the real jackpot is being able to afford your dreams and share them with your
friends, living life for all its worth!
Congrats to all the winners!
Glad to hear that a large group get to split that jackpot. $12 million take home isn't bad at all!
Congrats to all the winners!!!
Great to hear. Luv the line 'my check engine light just came on and I don't have to worry about it'
North American Stamping Group....Now Hiring!
Ditto: So happy to see a group of workers win!!!!
"At least these guys were listening. .
"
If you can prove they were listening to your advice, you might be due a small gratuity gift.
l wonder what is the waiting period to actually have those lottery payout Benjamins in your hands in Tennessee? Out here in "Sunny California" it's 8 weeks plus. So one could " claim fast" but receiving your payout is dragged out- we talking..... S L O W L Y.
Just knowing that they took my advice is rewarding enough RJ.
Congrads
to the Lucky 20. In my hometown too. The guy with the check engine light. Just get you another car or two or three lol. you can afford it now. You all spread some of that luck down the road a piece. lol. Going to be a Merry Merry Christmas in you'll households this year.
So buy 2-3 cars because your present one's engine light came on? Isn't that like saying the chimney on my present house collapsed, so l am going to buy 2-3 more homes?
Just asking..
Not a bad take. I would rather see 20 people split this amount of money than just one or two people, this is good.
This is the 3rd Powerball jackpot winning ticket that is a California Super Lotto Plus pick in the year 2016!
Did they take the cash or annuity?
pleased for this group :)
Smart to wait on leaving the job. Until that check clears, things will still need paid.
may they enjoy life in good health .
Cash payout ($254.7 mil. / 20 = $12.7 mil.).
Congrats to the winners! Maybe the guy who needs a car will tell us what car he buys. I will speculate:
20 new jobs created!
( if they all leave....)
Must be nice!!!
XL house in Caliporny aka the land of quakes 50+ brush fires,landslides,drought and other freaks
harley ,but you have a bike
a porsche to race on weekends and a daily driver
and have money to donate
===========
sounds to me,
like even if you did win you'd still be whining and bching about something and wishing you'd never left home
Congrats to all the winners, nice Christmas this year.
My office's lottery pool of 19 (was 20 until recently) that buys about 60 tickets per drawing is encouraged!
Congrats to the winners!
LOL I Was THINKING The VERY SAME THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU....................
Nice 20 winners wagering 60 a draw at 3 dollars an individual. They're genius
Does anyone know if the winning ticket was a quick pick or if the players selected the winning numbers?
I had to re-read the article as the numbers weren't adding up in my head. The article mentions that each of the 20 winners were getting approx. $12.7 million AFTER taxes. The lump sum cash amount is $254.6 so divided by 20 it comes out to $12.73 million. Am I missing something here or is TN exempt from both state and federal taxes? under the standard federal tax law married couples filing jointly are taxed at 39.6% after the initial $466,950 so the balance assuming no deductions are used would be $4,856,167 so their true take home after all federal tax obligations are met is less than $7.9 million.
Perhaps there is a new change in the laws allowing lottery winning to be free of federal taxes....that would be a welcome surprise to everyone who plays!
Some people just enjoy whining or complaining. Give them a reason, any reason and they will protest and complain, for them it sure beats having a real job.
You may be thinking the same thing but you & H are forgetting something : That is, it's his or her wish or dream. Good thing is we can allow someone into our dreams & can literally kill them off within seconds. Great stuff, this dreaming.
Have you given this much thought Music that if you win the Superlotto Plus jackpot tonight - you would end up with millions more than any individual winner of the recent PB jackpot? Mouthwatering thought huh M? Hope you have your ticket.
The article says they'll be "taking home" about $12.7 million each. That implies that's it's the net after taxes (or at least withholding), which makes the article wrong. There's no state income tax, but they'll be subject to the usual 25% withholding for federal taxes, so each should initially collect about $9.5 million. What they'll actually end up with will depend on their specific situation and whether or not the top bracket for 2017 remains at 39.6%.
Congratulations "Tennessee 20," Spend Wisely
Nice that Tennessee does not have state taxes on the lottery!! Since they are collecting their winnings in 2016 it will this years tax bracket and not 2017.
It is a good that 20 person won so that the wealth could be shared. That is twenty (20) families benefiting from this win. A blessing indeed.
There are tens of thousands who participate in various types of lottery pools and haven't won much of anything. I doubt they consider themselves geniuses.
This particular group of winners simply got lucky.
Wouldn't the federal tax rate end up being 39.6% since they would be in the highest tax bracket? Is Witholding what is taken up front?
Yes, a 25% withholding is what is initially deducted from their winnings, the balance is then factored and due in April, 2017.
"Since they are collecting their winnings in 2016 it will this years tax bracket and not 2017."
I guess I was kind of stuck in the recent thread about waiting until 2017 to claim. Since they already claimed it should depend on how fast Tennessee issues the payment.
Hello Wander73,
Nice to meet you as well.
I'm guessing you are from NE Philly and wander around Cottman ave. AKA PA route 73. LOL.
I also am from Philly...5TH and Olney is my part of town...well it was, many moons ago.
Thanks for the reminder, I made some room in my inbox...lots of cobwebs in there !
must be nice to be a part of so many people who are now so much more financially safe than just days before. Especially with the holidays coming up.
These winners will probably receive their payment just before the New Year's. I would have waited until January 2nd to claim as their is a good chance the top tax rate will go down and that would have been worth about a million $$$ to each one of them.
Got a sneaking suspicion that these lucky folks will have a wonderful Christmas holiday as well as a big boost toward financial freedom.
Wonder if there is any update on this story? Like When they will get the money ect...