49 Split Top Pennsylvania Prize : Group Efforts Amount to $26-Million Lotto Jackpot

Two groups of lottery players savored the joy of sharing Friday as they claimed a record $26-million jackpot in the Pennsylvania Super 7 game.

“To have it split 49 ways and have 49 happy people, I like that,” said Randy St. Clair, who bought tickets for a winning group of warehouse workers.

Twenty-nine people who work at the Benjamin Franklin elementary school in Philadelphia and 20 workers at the Joseph Notarianni & Co. produce warehouse in Scranton had their tickets verified Friday at lottery headquarters.

Lawyers for both groups wrote contracts that all the winners signed to share the wealth. Each of the “Franklin Friends” will get about $13,000 a year for 26 years after federal taxes are withheld, and each of the “Notarianni 20” will get $20,000 a year.

First Week of Purchases

St. Clair, 24, of Factoryville, was in his first week of running the Super 7 ticket-buying program for the Scranton group, which ranges in age from 20 to 74 and includes several retirees.

“I’m happy to share it,” he told a news conference.

Marlene Laderman, the school secretary who bought 145 of the $1 tickets for her group, said sharing was “a lot more fun.”

“My wife and I were talking about a new roof” for the house, said Richard Becker, 61, the elementary school principal who was among the employees in the pool.

The Notarianni workers got the day off Friday and chartered a bus for the ride of more than 100 miles to Harrisburg to have the ticket validated.

“This definitely was a gift from God,” said George Harris, 29, of Old Forge, a member of the warehouse group.

‘It’s Security’

Co-worker Frank Cunningham, 35, of Scranton said his share of the winnings would not be enough to permit him to quit his job, but added, “It’s security, and it’s something we didn’t have yesterday.”

Most of the Philadelphia group came on a yellow school bus. Four lunchroom aides sang snatches of “I’m So Excited” and said they have been celebrating since they learned the news.

“We’re the lowest paid (of the employees), but we’re the happiest,” said Caroline Dixon of Philadelphia, one of the four.