Woman opts out of lottery pool, but co-workers give her cut anyway

Mar 28, 2013, 8:52 am (80 comments)

Powerball

After winning $1 million, would you share it with a coworker you barely knew?

A group of 12 workers at Keller Williams Partner Realty in Plantation are doing exactly that.

Jennifer Maldonado had only been working as an administrative assistant for the company for two weeks, and she hadn't even received her first pay check.

Laurie Finkelstein Reader, a Realtor and head of the team in that office, was going around collecting $20 from each of her colleagues to spend on Powerball tickets. The jackpot for Saturday night's drawing was $338 million, and Finkelstein Reader, who occasionally plays, had a lucky feeling.

But Maldonado opted out.

"I hadn't gotten a paycheck and I was watching my pennies," said Maldonado.

Finkelstein Reader offered to lend her the money, but Maldonado said no.

On Sunday, when Maldonado showed up for work, everyone was there: screaming, jumping, running, hugging, crying.

They told her they had won.

She thought they were playing a joke on her.

"I knew I was the only one who hadn't put in the money, so I thought they were pranking me and going out of their way to make me feel something," said Maldonado, 31.

"I actually realized they weren't messing with me when my boss sat down and said this was real," she said.

The Keller Williams team had the five matching numbers: 17, 29, 31, 52 and 53. All they lacked was the red Powerball number, which would have made them a lot richer.

It was Amy Kilcoyne, also a Realtor, who had checked the numbers on her iPad and noticed one of their tickets matched. But she thought it was no big deal.

"I thought we won like $100 or $1,000," said Kilcoyne.

Eventually, they figured out their share of the prize was $1 million.

"People started freaking out," Kilcoyne said.

After tax money is taken out, each player who cashes out figures to end up with around $83,333.33, Finkelstein Reader said.

The gang stayed up till 4 a.m. on a phone conference talking about their prize and scheduled a celebration meeting Sunday morning at the office.

A couple of them say they will buy a house. Others say they'll donate to a charity, or put some aside for a rainy day.

"I'm blessed," said Finkelstein Reader. "My share of money won't change my life but so far this has touched many lives — it's about sharing the happiness."

Even though she didn't put in the $20, the crew at Keller Williams thinks Maldonado should share in their happiness.

They've all decided to kick in a bit of their winnings — they won't say how much — to give her.

"As a team we put together a fat pile of money," said Finkelstein Reader. "If we do the right thing and always care about other people, the right thing will happen to us."

Another person to benefit from the group's generosity is the clerk at the 7-Eleven Mobil Gas Station on Taft Street in Pembroke Pines, who sold Finkelstein Reader the tickets.

Finkelstein Reader said she never would have had the winning ticket if the clerk hadn't made a mistake.

The clerk, who spoke only Spanish, didn't understand Finkelstein Reader wanted 120 tickets. She thought she wanted $120 worth of tickets. The tickets sell for $2 each.

So the clerk printed half the tickets.

As Finkelstein Reader tried explaining she wanted 120 tickets, a line formed behind her.

People began to yell and one impatient man skipped to another line and purchased a bunch of tickets.

Finally, Finkelstein Reader was able to get her second batch — after the man who'd cut in front of her got his.

The winner was in the second batch.

"We wouldn't have won if it wasn't for that," said Finkelstein Reader.

The group is going to pick up their winnings Wednesday.

Nationwide, there were 13 $1 million winners — including another one from Florida who has yet to step forward.

And one lucky ticket holder in New Jersey matched all 5 numbers, plus the lucky Powerball number 31, to get the whopping $338 million prize.

The next Powerball, which will be drawn Wednesday night, is $40 million.

Will Maldonado and the gang from Keller Williams play?

Nope.

Finkelstein Reader said they're not going to play — and win — until the payout is more than $200 million.

But the next time they do, Maldonado is sure to join in.

"I didn't realize how lucky they are," she said.

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Miami Herald

Comments

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

good idea. Keep the lawyers from getting any of the prize money.

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

heheh im sure the pushy guy  remebers who he is to.

 

As Finkelstein Reader tried explaining she wanted 120 tickets, a line formed behind her.

People began to yell and one impatient man skipped to another line and purchased a bunch of tickets.

Finally, Finkelstein Reader was able to get her second batch — after the man who'd cut in front of her got his.

The winner was in the second batch.

"We wouldn't have won if it wasn't for that," said Finkelstein Reader.

beaudad's avatarbeaudad

If I worked in that office.....I would have given them a part of my winnings too.......!!!! beaudad

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Kudo's to the winners for sharing some og their winnings with herBlue Angel 

"Finkelstein Reader" what a cool nameThumbs Up

ashabug725's avatarashabug725

Quote: Originally posted by savagegoose on Mar 28, 2013

heheh im sure the pushy guy  remebers who he is to.

 

As Finkelstein Reader tried explaining she wanted 120 tickets, a line formed behind her.

People began to yell and one impatient man skipped to another line and purchased a bunch of tickets.

Finally, Finkelstein Reader was able to get her second batch — after the man who'd cut in front of her got his.

The winner was in the second batch.

"We wouldn't have won if it wasn't for that," said Finkelstein Reader.

And I bet he's kicking himself in the arse wondering what if!!!!

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

It's refreshing to see a few lottery pool winning stories of late where the "players" share the win-fall and not the attorneys.

 

Curiosity is killing this cat though in wondering if they would have been as gracious had they won the jackpot. Maybe give her 100k as an overly generous and belated sign on bonusWhat?

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Mar 28, 2013

It's refreshing to see a few lottery pool winning stories of late where the "players" share the win-fall and not the attorneys.

 

Curiosity is killing this cat though in wondering if they would have been as gracious had they won the jackpot. Maybe give her 100k as an overly generous and belated sign on bonusWhat?

Giving her a share, and "each kicking in some" is not the same thing. For all we know they gave her $500.

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

$20 each is certainly a lot of money for an office pool individual to pay for lottery tickets.  It's good that they don't each spend that much money on pooled lottery tickets each week/or every other week.  Congratulations to these 12 jackpot winners though!

As the article indicated, it is highly aggravating when a lottery retailer (who even natively speaks and writes English) doesn't comprehend a simple request!  I have, frequently, had similar problems.  Consequently, I have filled out the PB and MM lottery game's form indicating I want: 1 quick pick, the additional $1 multiplier option, next 4 drawings!

Dupe Alert

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by HaveABall on Mar 28, 2013

$20 each is certainly a lot of money for an office pool individual to pay for lottery tickets.  It's good that they don't each spend that much money on pooled lottery tickets each week/or every other week.  Congratulations to these 12 jackpot winners though!

As the article indicated, it is highly aggravating when a lottery retailer (who even natively speaks and writes English) doesn't comprehend a simple request!  I have, frequently, had similar problems.  Consequently, I have filled out the PB and MM lottery game's form indicating I want: 1 quick pick, the additional $1 multiplier option, next 4 drawings!

Dupe Alert

I swing both ways.

BEZ22's avatarBEZ22

Wow.. at first I thought they were gonna maybe give Maldonado $83,333.33; but each of the winners kicking in a bit of there winnings sounds alot more sensible... With that said.. congratulations to the winners!!

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by BEZ22 on Mar 28, 2013

Wow.. at first I thought they were gonna maybe give Maldonado $83,333.33; but each of the winners kicking in a bit of there winnings sounds alot more sensible... With that said.. congratulations to the winners!!

I Agree!, BEZ22.  Jennifer Maldonado is a lucky woman.  May this generosity lead to additional, mutually, happy experiences with her new employer over several years!

Congratulations, also, to these $1M, 2nd Place PB lottery winners. Party

Now back to your full-time, grueling, daily work!

JoshUK

Congrats, that was nice of them.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

I wouldn't give her much since she was offered a chance to be part of the pool and she refused. She probably thought they were morons for wasting money like that. Just like the Albany NY man who was also offered to be lent some money but he said he was "not feeling lucky". History repeats itself and people never seem to learn *shrugs*

JoeBigLotto's avatarJoeBigLotto

Am having a big swimming pool party tonight and all the ladies that won money in this office pool are invited and for the guys they can hangout at burger king for l care lol.

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