February 11, 2009 3:14 PM
- Text
8 W. Va. Co-Workers Win $276.3M Powerball
(CBS/AP)
Strike that adage about quitting the job after hitting big on the lottery.
A group of eight Monongalia County sheriff's department tax office employees claimed a winning Powerball ticket worth $276.3 million on Tuesday.
"My heart kind of stopped, and I just took a deep breath," Linda Fominko told CBS News' The Early Show. "Everything stood still."
Afterward, the women talked about their friendships, helping their families and the most interesting question they face: will they go back to work?
"At this point, everybody is," said Fominko, who bought the winning ticket at a video poker bar in Westover. "But who knows down the line in a few months or a year."
They told The Early Show that heading back to work was just part of their character.
The women opted to take the $139 million cash payout option and individually will receive $11.9 million after taxes.
They showed up for work Monday and were present at West Virginia Lottery headquarters in Charleston on Tuesday to accept a check for $1 million from Lottery Director John Musgrave. The rest of the prize money will be paid in two weeks.
"Their friendship and camaraderie paid off big time," Musgrave said. "I call them the Lucky Eight."
The women, who say they play Powerball occasionally, range in service at the tax office from a year to Fominko's 35 years.
Fominko, the sheriff's department's chief tax deputy, let a computer pick the winning numbers.
As she's done with previous lottery purchases, she locked the ticket in a safe at work and made copies to distribute to each group member.
This time, she sensed something was different.
"I told them Thursday, 'I have the feeling we're going to hit Powerball and we have to play numbers tonight. It has to be tonight,"' Fominko said.
She watched the televised drawing Saturday night. After hearing the numbers, she stared at a copy of the ticket and her jaw dropped.
"You're like whoa, wait a minute, wait a minute. Let me look at this again," she said. "I must have looked at it 10 times before I jumped up, ran back and told my sister, 'the tax office won the Powerball!"'
Fominko started calling her co-workers, but not everyone found out right away. Paula Pride was on a church retreat trip in Kentucky and didn't learn until midday Sunday.
Pride, who works at the office part time, said she doesn't plan to quit.
"We're coming into tax time and they can't replace eight people. It's a lot of work," she said.
Amanda Pugh has no plans for the money right away because "I'm not a buyer," she said. "I'm a doer. I like to experience."
That means traveling, but a trip will have to wait until her vacation time.
"I'm happy. I like my life," she said. "I don't want to change anything too much right now."
Of course, there will be an avalanche of unsolicited phone calls and advice about how to spend - and not to spend - the money.
"So far it's been family and friends. You know it's going to change," Pride said.
Each group member has heard the stories about Jack Whittaker, the West Virginian who won a $314.9 million Powerball jackpot in December 2002 but said his life became a nightmare with scandals, lawsuits and personal setbacks.
"Everybody is definitely worried about this," Fominko said. "Too many things can happen. We're trying our best to stay calm and keep our patience and get help from everybody that can help us."
The ticket was the seventh sold in West Virginia to win a Powerball jackpot and was the seventh-largest win in Powerball history.
A group of eight Monongalia County sheriff's department tax office employees claimed a winning Powerball ticket worth $276.3 million on Tuesday.
"My heart kind of stopped, and I just took a deep breath," Linda Fominko told CBS News' The Early Show. "Everything stood still."
Afterward, the women talked about their friendships, helping their families and the most interesting question they face: will they go back to work?
"At this point, everybody is," said Fominko, who bought the winning ticket at a video poker bar in Westover. "But who knows down the line in a few months or a year."
They told The Early Show that heading back to work was just part of their character.
The women opted to take the $139 million cash payout option and individually will receive $11.9 million after taxes.
They showed up for work Monday and were present at West Virginia Lottery headquarters in Charleston on Tuesday to accept a check for $1 million from Lottery Director John Musgrave. The rest of the prize money will be paid in two weeks.
"Their friendship and camaraderie paid off big time," Musgrave said. "I call them the Lucky Eight."
The women, who say they play Powerball occasionally, range in service at the tax office from a year to Fominko's 35 years.
The office has 11 employees, but only eight contributed money to purchase tickets for Saturday's drawing. Each contributed $5 and it was the first time the group bought its tickets at the bar.
Fominko, the sheriff's department's chief tax deputy, let a computer pick the winning numbers.
As she's done with previous lottery purchases, she locked the ticket in a safe at work and made copies to distribute to each group member.
This time, she sensed something was different.
"I told them Thursday, 'I have the feeling we're going to hit Powerball and we have to play numbers tonight. It has to be tonight,"' Fominko said.
She watched the televised drawing Saturday night. After hearing the numbers, she stared at a copy of the ticket and her jaw dropped.
"You're like whoa, wait a minute, wait a minute. Let me look at this again," she said. "I must have looked at it 10 times before I jumped up, ran back and told my sister, 'the tax office won the Powerball!"'
Fominko started calling her co-workers, but not everyone found out right away. Paula Pride was on a church retreat trip in Kentucky and didn't learn until midday Sunday.
Pride, who works at the office part time, said she doesn't plan to quit.
"We're coming into tax time and they can't replace eight people. It's a lot of work," she said.
Amanda Pugh has no plans for the money right away because "I'm not a buyer," she said. "I'm a doer. I like to experience."
That means traveling, but a trip will have to wait until her vacation time.
"I'm happy. I like my life," she said. "I don't want to change anything too much right now."
Of course, there will be an avalanche of unsolicited phone calls and advice about how to spend - and not to spend - the money.
"So far it's been family and friends. You know it's going to change," Pride said.
Each group member has heard the stories about Jack Whittaker, the West Virginian who won a $314.9 million Powerball jackpot in December 2002 but said his life became a nightmare with scandals, lawsuits and personal setbacks.
"Everybody is definitely worried about this," Fominko said. "Too many things can happen. We're trying our best to stay calm and keep our patience and get help from everybody that can help us."
The ticket was the seventh sold in West Virginia to win a Powerball jackpot and was the seventh-largest win in Powerball history.
Latest Now in National
- US seeks to mine social media to predict future
- RI player wins $336 million Powerball jackpot
- How the revolution became digitized
- Celebs mourn Whitney Houston at Clive Davis event
- The nation's weather
- Whitney Houston fans pay emotional tribute
- Hudson to honor Houston at Grammys
- Man to face Alabama trial in wife's diving death
- Whitney Houston's final performance
- Remembering Whitney Houston 1963-2012
- Screenplay for Murder
- Extra: Jimmy Siokos on Mark Twitchell
- Extra: Chris Heward's bizarre experience
- Extra: Drive with a killer
- Whitney Houston dies at 48
- Evening News Online, 02.11.12
- Video: Whitney Houston's ups and downs
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News
- Brazil jet makes forced stop after pilot attack
- Love beats action as 'The Vow' bows with $41.7M
- Victoria Beckham back to sexy, sophisticated form
- Top Republican wants vote on birth control mandate
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News
