News Headlines

Maryland School Workers Split Mega Millions Win

Reporter: Associated Press

UPDATE: Tuesday, April 10, 2012

They call themselves "The Three Amigos" -- two public school teachers and a school administrator in Maryland who are sharing part of the jackpot from last month's record Mega Millions drawing.

Together, they are the owners of one of the three winning tickets sold across the country for the $656 million jackpot.

State lottery officials say the winners -- who want to remain anonymous -- are planning trips to Europe, new homes and college educations for their kids. And they all plan to keep working -- saying they are committed to their students.

Each will get $35 million, after taxes.

Lottery officials say each of the winners has been working multiple jobs to make ends meet. The head of the Maryland Lottery says, "If it can't be you, these people are precisely the people you would want to see win."

The announcement that the three school workers were holders of the ticket purchased in Maryland confirmed that the woman who came forward last week, claiming to hold the winning ticket, wasn't telling the truth.

The real winners told lottery officials that they watched the news coverage of the phony claim, and joked about it -- knowing they held the real winner.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Maryland Lottery officials say three public school employees are sharing the spoils of the record Mega Millions jackpot.

The winning Maryland ticket is one of three nationally that split the $656 million jackpot.

Maryland Lottery director Stephen Martino told a news conference in Baltimore the winners there were remaining anonymous. But he did
provide a few details, including that they bought 60 tickets as a pool.

The two women and one man work in public education in the state. Officials did not disclose where.

One is a special education teacher, one is an elementary school teacher and the third is a school administrator.

Each will receive a lump sum payment of $35 million after taxes. Their plans include backpacking in Europe and paying for a daughter's college education.

Meanwhile, Illinois Lottery spokesman Mike Lang says the person with a winning ticket bought at a convenience store in the 3,700-resident town of Red Bud still hasn't come forward for his or her three-way share of the $656 million jackpot. Illinois law gives winners one
year to claim a jackpot.

Kansas' winner claimed a share of the prize from the March 30 drawing last Friday.

Each ticket is worth more than $218 million before taxes.