Baba Ijebu of Life: 16 Garage Workers Win N24 billion lottery jackpot

This county job for 16 New Jersey employees came with a surprise bonus — a winning ticket in the $448 million Powerball jackpot, officials said.

The Ocean County Vehicle Maintenance Department workers, who were not identified by name, bought the ticket with pool money collected at their Toms River facility, Freeholder Director John Kelly told the Asbury Park Press.

“We are thrilled,” Kelly told the paper. “We consider county government a family. It’s good to see these hard-working, blue-collar employees win this money that’s going to be a life-changer for them.”

Each winning ticket was worth $86 million before taxes, if paid in a lump sum. The tickets are worth $149.4 million over 30 years if the winners choose the annuity option.

The Acme supermarket in Little Egg Harbor will receive a $30,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket to the group of workers.

The store’s director, Phil Weber, said he will donate $10,000 of the prize money to a charity for an area hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.

“I’m just happy someone’s life is changing for the positive,” Weber told the paper. “If you drive through the middle of town, you really don’t recognize it and you don’t see the damage, but the town is surrounded by bay and there is a lot of devastation throughout that, so this will be a great thing for the community.”

Officials said another winning ticket of Wednesday’s jackpot was sold in the Garden State. But the holder of the ticket, sold in a South Brunswick Super Stop & Shop store, has not yet come forward.

Meanwhile, a Minnesota man quickly claimed his stake in the prize money.

At a news conference, Paul White, 45, said he had “been waiting for this day my entire life.”

White joked that his family often ribbed him for being a loyal lottery player, and had trouble making them believe he actually won.

“The only person who didn’t feel I was BSing them was my mother,” said White, who was joined by his girlfriend, brother and two colleagues.

The Ham Lake, Minn., project engineer said he will opt to take a lump sum, which will amount to a whopping $58.3 million after taxes. And he said he’s counting down the days until he receives his check in two weeks.

“I’ve totally been waiting for this day my entire life,” he said. “Start the clock right now.”

White said a call from his girlfriend prompted him to check his numbers after she told him a winning ticket was sold in the Gopher State.

Many mega-jackpot winners wait days or weeks before claiming their prize after going over legal arrangments. But White said he already planned a consultation with an attorney and a financial adviser.

The divorced dad of a 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter said his days of working as an electric contracter “are over,” but won’t leave his job until he completes some unfinished projects.

With News Wire Services

[NYDaily]