Two employees of a Chicago Heights, Illinois, bakery are suing co-workers over a $118 million Mega Millions jackpot, alleging they were unfairly left out of the winnings.
Jose Franco and Marco Medina were regular participants in a lottery pool with co-workers at the bakery for about a year, according to the suit.
The group won $9 during a drawing on May 1, and there was an understanding that the money would be used to purchase more tickets for a May 4 drawing, the suit said. Some employees kicked in additional money, but Franco and Medina say they weren't asked to contribute.
The group won the grand prize that day, but an attorney for Franco and Medina said the two were cut out because they did not contribute additional money.
The suit said the group collects money every Monday and Thursday for Mega Millions drawings. That week, the money was instead collected on Wednesday, and Franco and Medina were not notified. Attorney Erron Fisher argued they were still involved in the pool because of the $9 rolled in from the May 1 drawing, which Franco and Medina paid toward.
"Our clients got in on the rollover to buy the tickets," Fisher said. "Lo and behold, they pulled the winning ticket but afterward, our clients were told 'no.' "
The suit, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, names 11 people who split the Mega Millions winnings. Fisher said all work in the bakery for Pita Pan, which makes Greek pitas, pocket bread and flatbread.
A woman who answered the phone Wednesday at Pita Pan declined to comment.
The suit asked lottery officials to hold off on dispersing the winnings pending a court ruling on the lawsuit.
Fisher said he believes there are three additional Pita Pan employees with similar claims who are seeking lawyers.
Most people are probably rolling their eyes at the prospect of another lottery pool lawsuit, but they might have a case here, if lottery tickets were purchased with the previous drawing's winnings.
McGinnin56: Where are you! Wanna share those views again on Lottery PRO Choice? Lol.
It seems the "Winsome Twosome" does have a case reading this preliminary report, but that's not why I roll my eyes HRH Todd. I am PRO individual and do not support pools...lottery politics - lol.
This is the reason i dislike lottery pools...
"Jose Franco and Marco Medina were regular participants in a lottery pool with co-workers at the bakery for about a year, according to the suit."
I see nothing wrong with occasionally pooling when the jackpots are huge, but this is exactly what happens when pools are played every week and some players are in some drawings and out others. The difference in this story is the previous winnings were part of the pool and if a share of the winnings belonged to these two, they have an excellent law suit.
As you would see in my post, we agree on their legal standing if their arguments are indeed valid. On the matter of participating in pools, let's just say we'll agree to disagree.
Consider this though: Think those other clowns who collected will be presenting as a possible argument that the first 9 picks didn't produce the winning jackpot? Ergo, those who didn't contribute additional monies in that drawing do not qualify? lol!
I have heard more insane arguments presented in court, so I wouldnt put it pass them!
if they indeed had rollover money in the pool, why would they not just include them in the winnings... they would still get more money than they will ever need... people are so greedy.
I have to agree with this, especially if they were normal, consistent players of the pool. If The pool won $9 bux from the previous draw, that should have been included in the tickets towards the Jackpot win.
At the very least, they should divide the # of tickets purchased for the Jackpot win and calculate the percentage that each would have won from the 9 tickets from the previous draw. They could split that amount and include the 2 people that are suing. Then divide the remaining amount to the people who actually paid into the Jackpot pool's draw
Rolling eyes lol,
exactly what I thought until I read the whole story. 
this might be legitimate and not sour grapes.
No rolled eyes here. They might not be entitled to an equal share, if other players contributed extra money for the draw. But if previous winnings were rolled over, I'd be willing to bet that they are entitled to something.
I don't have anything against pools because they tend to win often enough. Having to go to court to get your money is better than not getting any money at all. I play alone though hehe.
GREED.
How much money does one person need?
If more tickets were purchased from the $9 win, all that participated in the draw by paying to play the previous draw should be participating in collecting the jackpot win
now. It does not matter if the 2 were missed that day, it's POOL money, it all goes together. Maybe if they passed out winnings as they were won in cash, the 2 wouldn't
have a case. It was rolled over to buy more tickets....I believe they have a case. They claim they were regulars for about a year, I hope they have some proof of that.
I'll bet this will get pretty ridiculous....I can see it now: None of the tickets purchased with the $9 won.
Or the $9 divided 13 ways doesn't cover a full ticket purchase.
Or the $9 was for extra tickets on top of the regular biweekly purchase which the 2 outcasts didn't officially contribute to that draw.
I would never play a stinking pool, too many problems and after the fact rules to overcome when a big win comes sailing in.
No copies. No names. I wish they were closer. I'd join the suit too.
This is what the judge should do.
Take 9 and divide it by the total # of tickets purchased.
Take that percentage and multiply it by the total jackpot.
Take that number and divide it by the total number of people in the pool including the two people originally left out.
Subtract the amount given to the two people left out from the total jackpot.
Divide that amount equally by the remaning pool participants.
Example.
Assume the 11 each added $1.00.
Take 9 and divide it by the total # of tickets purchased.
9/20 = .45
Take that percentage and multiply it by the total jackpot.
.45* 118,000,000 =53,100,000.
Take that number and divide it by the total number of people in the pool including the two people originally left out.
53,100,000 /13 = 4,084,615.
Subtract the amount given to the two people left out from the total jackpot.
118,000,000 - 8,169,230 = 109,830,770
Divide that amount equally by the remaning pool participants.
109,830,770 / 11 = 9,984,615.
Is there a link to the story of the jackpot win?
Still PRO-choice.
These guy's look to have a SERIOUS crack at a getting a lions share of the lotto loot! 
Wouldn't mind trading shoes with either of them.
Fisher said he believes there are three additional Pita Pan employees with similar claims who are seeking lawyers.
I'll check in again with you after the other 3 clowns join the circus.
I want to be a LAWYER when I grow up!
Yea, they have a case alright, most of the claims you hear of are laughable, but still get heard by a judge.
watch this case closely, that rollover money is going to make all the difference.
Lawyers are one of god's great gifts to mankind.
If you should pursue becoming an ambulance chaser, you should take great pride and
reverence in this coveted position.
The 2 workers shouldn't get a dime they knew that every monday and thursday the group collects money for the drawing that seem to be the rules
They just felt some kind of way after not contributing that game and feel like they deserve some money that wasn't the agreement with the group.
The judge should send their attorneys away this is the typical story of lottery winners it's the greedy ones that know they didn't put money in for that game that tries to sue.
they didnt collect the money on monday but on wednesday and werent told about it. they still had money in the poll from the $9 they won and kept to pay for the next poll. sounds like a good case to me
I agree with Todd and feel there is merit to their lawsuit. It would be nice if they disclosed what additional funds were actually added tothe winning draw.
If these two gentleman can validate their claims of having been in the previous drawing then I feel the Judge will rule in their favor. They won't get an equal share but will be entitled to a decent cut.
The more I think about it, maybe we do agree because the last pool I was in continued until all the winnings were spent on more tickets plus kicking in a couple more bucks. A one time thing turned into multiple drawings and not exactly what I had in mind when I entered.
Hate to say it, but I was sort of relieved when we won nothing on the last drawing.
Stack47: Here's the thing, a few of us on LP were actually hoping that this lottery pool win would be the one notable exception and some even commented as much as you'll find in the archives. Certainly if I had the time and resources, I would do a statistical analysis of lottery pool wins that did not wind up in litigation versus those that did. That would tell a very interesting story far more substantitve than our anecdotal remarks stemming from fading memories tainted by preconcieved biases. If I were ever in a pool (bite my tongue) and we won, I would never support going to court to fight against a few that laid claim. The matter would definitely be settled among participants past and present. I don't want my chance of a lifetime to be marred with stress like this.
100%. Better to play alone than enjoy lawsuit if pool becomes 'lucky'. The reports about pool lawsuits appears again and again...
I wouldn't be in any sized lottery pool ever again [I wasn't even told how much small prize monies won were being rolled-over into purchasing additional draw lines each week]!
However, for those that are in, or considering entry into, a lottery pool -- make sure that the proposed leader of your lottery pool is a fair person (this is difficult, since they'd rarely be more than a mere acquaintance)!
Keep in the mind that IF (keyword - 'IF"!!!) pool wins BIG money... for example, jackpot in Powerball... then 100% any man or woman shows their hidden nature. Money changes people. Especially BIG money.