August 31, 2001

GROUP OF 37 COWORKERS CLAIM $100,000 POWERBALL® PRIZE FROM AUGUST 25 DRAWING

 DOVER, DE - Thirty-seven employees of the Conard-Pyle Company, a nursery wholesaler, in West Grove, Pa., claimed a $100,000 POWERBALL® prize from the August 25 drawing at the Delaware Lottery Office in Dover this morning. Seven $100,000-winning tickets from that drawing were sold in Delaware: three were redeemed on Monday, two more were redeemed on Wednesday and one remains unclaimed.   

Gordon Rowe from Pennsylvania and Israel Montesino from Delaware, spokespeople for the group, said the prize will be shared with 35 of their coworkers. The group received a check for $72,500, which represents their $100,000 prize minus $27,500 for federal tax. Each group member will receive a portion of the prize based on their contribution to the company's office pool. 

The group purchased their Quick Pick tickets the day before the drawing (August 24) at 7-Eleven on Centreville Road in New Castle. Montesino said, "I'm a regular POWERBALL® player and I thought it would be a good idea for my coworkers and I to purchase tickets in a cooperative effort for the drawing.  Everyone seemed to agree and participated in the pool."  

Rowe said he learned they had won when someone from the group checked their tickets on Tuesday (August 28). "When they told me one of our tickets matched five winning white numbers, I said, I think we've won $100,000," Rowe explained. "When I realized we had won a $100,000 POWERBALL® prize, I couldn't believe it," said Montesino.  While they were not sure what other group members planned to do with their winnings, Rowe said he planned to use his prize money for his new house, and Montesino said he will pay bills.  Although all the group members are not regular Lottery players, Montesino said he will definitely continue to play Delaware Lottery games.

 The POWERBALL® jackpot for Saturday, September 1, has an estimated annuity value of $12 million. Tickets for POWERBALL cost $1 and are available at all Delaware Lottery On-Line Retailers.   

Since the start of operations in 1975, the Delaware Lottery has contributed more than $1.1 billion to the state's General Fund to help finance needed state services that benefit everyone in Delaware. The Lottery offers a variety of games including POWERBALL^®, All Cash Lotto, Rolldown^®, PLAY 3 and PLAY 4, and assorted Instant Games.