An office lottery pool hit the big time with a winning ticket, but the luck didn't stop there when they decided to share the wealth with a co-worker outside the lotto pool. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
An overjoyed group of office workers just won a $1 million Powerball jackpot—all but one of them.
Jennifer Maldonado should be happy, because even though she didn't join in the office pool for that winning lottery ticket, her co-workers have agreed to share their good fortune with her.
On member of the office pool said, "The old saying that it's better to give than receive? Well it is very, very true!"
This remarkable tale of luck and generosity begins at South Florida real estate office, where Lori Finkelstein organized a regular office pool for the Powerball jackpot. A total of 12 people put in $20 a piece, but not Maldonado, who had just joined the company.
Maldonado said, "They asked me for $20 to join the lottery pool. And living paycheck-to-paycheck, it wasn't something that I could afford."
The big jackpot was won by a New Jersey grocery store owner who won a mind-boggling $338 million.
Finkelstein said, "I said, 'Jen, if you don't play, then we are definitely going to win.' "
And wouldn't you know it, the office pool in Florida was a winner, worth $1 million. The jackpot divided by 12 comes to $83,000 a piece. But nothing for the new girl.
Maldonado said, "I was upset, but at the same time so happy for everyone."
End of story? Not quite.
Finkelstein said, "I said, 'We need to do something for Jen. We decided to put together a stack of cash for her."
At first, Maldonado didn't believe it, saying, "I honestly did feel like they were pranking me."
But it's on the level. They're all going to share their fortunes with Maldonado.
"It's just an incredible feeling to be surrounded by such great people," she said.
