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 12^th 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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