The $1 million Powerball cash prize won in the May 13 drawing has been claimed by a group of nine co-workers who work at EPIQ Systems in Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Kansas Lottery.
The lucky winners matched the first five numbers, but not the Powerball to win a $1 million Match 5 cash prize.
Five of the nine winners came to Kansas Lottery headquarters in Topeka this morning to claim the $1 million cash prize.
Cathy Wissing of Olathe, Kan., who is in charge of collecting the money for the pool and buying the Powerball tickets, claimed the prize on the group’s behalf.
“We’ve been playing Powerball together since May 5, 2016,” Wissing said. “When the Powerball jackpot reaches $100 million, I send an email out to my co-workers to let them know I’ll be collecting money to buy tickets. I always buy Quick Pick tickets at the same store. Then I take a photo of the tickets and send it by email to everyone who has participated. I also keep a spreadsheet that shows the amount each person has contributed.
“The amount contributed determines the amount each person receives when we win,” she said. “For this big win, the prize amount each person will receive ranges from $182,000 to $10,000.”
Staci Werkowitch of Stilwell, Kan., was the office pool member who had checked the Powerball tickets Sunday morning and discovered the group had won the $1 million cash prize. When she called Wissing with the good news, she said she could hardly speak she was so excited.
“When I got a hold of Cathy to tell her we had won, my voice was quivering and I was screaming,” Werkowitch said.
“I was on my way to the Royals game when Staci called and said we had won,” Wissing said. “I had the original tickets in my purse, so we turned around and went to a grocery store to check them. Once we were sure of the amount we’d won, the group of us texted back and forth all day.”
Another member of the office pool, Dana Brooks of Kansas City, Mo., found out she had won part of the prize while she was at church Sunday morning.
“I sing in the church choir and after I was finished singing, I checked my phone and had several missed calls and text messages,” Brooks said. “When I called Cathy back and she told me what we’d won, I couldn’t believe it. I told her if she was lying I was going to slash her tires. It’s been quite a roller coaster ride.”
Julie Racy of Liberty, Mo., was with her grandchildren when she received the news of their big win. She said it made for a great Mother’s Day.
Group member Mary Bowers of Shawnee, Kan., wasn’t aware of the big win until she came into work this morning. “The phone number they had for me wasn’t the correct one,” Bowers said. “Everyone was giddy when I got to work this morning. When they told me why, I didn’t believe it. It still hasn’t sunk in.”
The lucky co-workers, who have dubbed themselves the EPIQ Financial Team, said they plan to continue the office pool.
The winning Powerball ticket was purchased at Green Light 838, located at 838 S. 7th St. in Kansas City, Kan. For selling the $1 million cash prize, the store is eligible for a $1,000 selling bonus.
– Story and photo from the Kansas Lottery