(WWJ) A lucky group of coworkers in Northern Michigan will split a pretty good-sized lottery prize.
The Heroes to Zeroooos Lottery Club, made up of 78 nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers from Traverse City, have claimed a $1 million Powerball prize, according to the Michigan Lottery.
Officials said the club matched the five white balls in the Oct. 31, 2022 drawing — 13-19-36-39-59 — after the club's representative bought the winning ticket at the CVS on West Front Street in Traverse City.
"The Heroes to Zeroooos lottery club started several years ago," said the rep, BJ Bossert Jr. "There are about 65 members who consistently play, but anyone can throw in money whenever they choose. I created a Facebook page for the club where I post who contributed for the drawing and then the results the morning after each drawing.
"I purchased a Powerball ticket the afternoon of the drawing and then checked the results the next morning at about 4:30 a.m. When I saw we had won $1 million, I was in shock! I posted in the Facebook group and said I had a special announcement coming later that day and planned to share the good news when I was done with work.
"A few hours later, I posted an article on the Facebook page about a $1 million winning Powerball ticket being sold in Traverse City. After I shared the article, club members began frantically reaching out asking if it was our club who had won, and that's when I shared the big news!"
The club members were presented with their checks at MiddleCoast Brewing in Traverse City this week.
Each club member received about $12,800.
"Everyone in our club is ecstatic. This prize is a nice bonus for all of us around the holidays," Bossert Jr. said.
The Michigan Lottery says the Powerball jackpot was last won on Nov. 19. One ticket bought in Kansas won the $93 million jackpot. The jackpot for Saturday's drawing stands at $325 million. Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile, the Mega Millions, the other multi-state game offered by the Michigan Lottery, is giving players a chance to win a huge amount of cash in Friday's drawing, which now stands at more than $940 million.
If a lucky player wins the jackpot, it will be the first Mega Millions jackpot won this year. In 2022, the Mega Millions jackpot was won six times:
- Jan. 28, $426 million, Woodland Hills, California
- March 8, $128 million, Brooklyn, New York
- April 12, $110 million, Ramsey, Minnesota
- April 15, $20 million, Pegram, Tennessee
- July 29, $1.337 billion, Des Plaines, Illinois
- Oct. 14, $502 million, San Jose, California; Fort Myers, Florida
The Mega Millions jackpot was last won in Michigan in Jan. 2021 when an Oakland County lottery club won $1.05 billion. That jackpot was the largest ever won in Michigan and the fifth largest in U.S. lottery history.
Mega Millions and Powerball tickets may be purchased at retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com for $2 per play.
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