With a billion-dollar Powerball jackpot up for grabs, several Lotto groups in Nebraska won big prizes during the recent jackpot run.
In the January 6 Powerball drawing, a group of 32 coworkers from Lincoln calling themselves “The Lucky 32” won a $1 million prize. Nebraska Lottery officials met with The Lucky 32 on Friday, January 8, at Haymarket Park in Lincoln. Members of the group had several plans for their share of the prize, including trips, vacations, paying bills, and donations to charity. This is the 15th $1 million Powerball prize won in Nebraska since 1994.
In the January 13 Powerball drawing, two groups in La Vista and O’Neill won $50,000 prizes. One group, called the “Baxter 37,” consists of 37 employees at Baxter Auto in La Vista. Members of the group told Nebraska Lottery officials they began buying tickets because of the record jackpot. The third time they pooled their money together, they won $50,000. “There’s not much work getting done around the shop today,” said Eric Brewer of Council Bluffs, Iowa, in reference to the excitement of winning.
Also winning a $50,000 prize in the January 13 drawing was the staff of O’Neill Family Eyecare, P.C. Like the Baxter 37, this group just started buying Powerball tickets together when they won their first big prize. “We were shocked. We had a mass texting party that night that lasted a few hours,” said group member Sue Seger of O’Neill. The group said they’ll use their share of the winnings for everything from braces and house painting to a trip to New Orleans.
