7 NY workers win $319M Mega Millions jackpot

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (KABC) -- This ought to make you think twice about passing up on that lotto pool at work.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is worth millions- $319 million to be exact. Thursday the seven New York state co-workers who bought the winning Mega Millions ticket came forward.

The four men and three women will split last week's $319 million jackpot. They are all information technology workers. And now they are also millionaires.

"I checked the ticket and I rechecked it and rechecked it and just couldn't believe it was real," said Gabrielle Mahar.

Mahar is one of the Albany seven, maybe the luckiest group of co-workers ever. Even the story of how they bought the winning ticket at this newsstand involved plenty of luck. Or is it fate?

"I reached down to grab a candy bar from the candy display and someone reached over me, actually cut in front of me to buy a ticket," said Mike Barth. "I thought about saying something but I didn't."

Just like your work group perhaps, these I.T. workers for the state of New York regularly go in together on big jackpots.

"If you're in we mark in, and if you don't get in, we just put a line through your name, and you're out," said John.

And this time, there were as many as five co-workers who passed. Only one has commented publicly.

"The only quote that is attributable to him, even if it is hearsay, is that 'I'm not feeling lucky,'" said the CEO of failblog.org. "I think this is the fail that he's not going to live down for the rest of his life."

Because the lucky seven is taking the onetime payment, after taxes they're each collecting checks for $19.1 million dollars. And while it may not be $319 million, it's certainly enough to explore new opportunities.

The winners range in age from 29 to 63 years old. They said they have not decided whether they will quit their jobs. But some say they will be spending their mega millions money on a dishwasher, tires and college educations for their children.

Get more National News »

lottery, national news, marc brown

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•