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For Immediate Release: May 16, 2013
Contact: Kelly Thompson, 773-5770 or kelly.thompson@state.sd.us
Sioux Falls Group Claims $1 Million Powerball Prize
PIERRE, S.D. – A group of 28 co-workers from a Sioux Falls beer distributing company have claimed a $1 million prize from the May 15, 2013, Powerball drawing.
The “Beal 28”, comprised of employees from the sales, office and warehouse divisions of Beal Distributing, brought their winning ticket into the Sioux Falls Lottery office this morning. The ticket, one of $140 worth purchased at three lottery retailers for last night’s $360 million Powerball drawing, came from Lewis Drug Westgate on 12th and Kiwanis in Sioux Falls. The store will receive a $20,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The group had two winning play lines on the same ticket; one line matched five of five white ball numbers but not the Powerball to win $1 million while another line matched three of five white ball numbers but not the Powerball for an additional $7. The odds of winning $1 million playing Powerball are 1:5,153,633.
Greg McCloskey of Sioux Falls, who claimed the prize on behalf of the “Beal 28”, says the group usually begins to pool their money when the jackpot reaches a certain level.
“When the jackpot hits about $200 million, I walk through the office and see who wants to throw in $5 into the pool for tickets. We’ve been doing it for about two or three years. This is by far the most we’ve ever won,” McCloskey said.
Another member of the group, Natalie Watson of Sioux Falls, is in charge of purchasing the tickets and making sure everyone who contributed to the pool has a copy. It was Watson who discovered the “Beal 28” were winners.
“I got out the tickets when I got to work this morning and started checking the numbers online. I saw we matched five of five, and I said I’ve got to get somebody else to look at these, too, so I did. Nobody believed we won. Most everyone in the pool was already at work so I just went around and started telling them,” said Watson.
Each member of the “Beal 28” will receive about $26,785 after taxes, and many are still deciding what to do with their unexpected winnings.
Members of the “Beal 28” are:
Kacey Aanenson, Sioux Falls
Courtney Barnes, Sioux Falls
Jon Beal, Valley Springs
Matt Beal, Sioux Falls
Chris Borland, Sioux Falls
Dustin Brower, Sioux Falls
Thomas Brown, Sioux Falls
Jeffrey Clausen, Sioux Falls
Ricky Hauge, Valley Springs
Timothy Haight, Sioux Falls
Eric Hite, Brandon
Aaron Hofer, Sioux Falls
Corey Hybertson, Sioux Falls
Larry Johns, Harrisburg
Austin Klundt, Harrisburg
John Kolbeck, Sioux Falls
Lydell Krog, Sioux Falls
Ryan Larsen, Crooks
Mary Lou Ludens, Hartford
Greg McCloskey, Sioux Falls
Scott Ollerich, Sioux Falls
Brian Plucker, Brandon
Erin Rymerson, Hartford
David Serbousek, Tea
Philip Swanson, Canton
John Vocker, Jr., Sioux Falls
Natalie Watson, Sioux Falls
Daniel Wood, Sioux Falls
Powerball is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The jackpot currently sits at an estimated $475 million for the next drawing on Saturday, May 18, 2013. That’s the second largest jackpot in the history of the game; the largest was $587.5 million which was split among two winners in November of last year.
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