Indiana Woman and Friends Win $9.9 Million Lotto Jackpot Together

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — After 11 years of playing the lottery, Milly, an Indiana resident, won a staggering $9.9 million jackpot and plans to share her fortune with four former co-workers.

Milly, along with Tony, Kendra, Jenny, and Roxanne, have been friends since they met while working at a factory. They formed a lottery pool, affectionately calling themselves “Milly’s Lottery Pool,” and have entered various lottery games together for over a decade.

The winning Hoosier Lotto ticket was purchased by Milly on August 16, at Jack's Place, a gas station in Columbus. Little did the group know that their persistent lottery efforts were about to pay off.

On August 18, as Milly scanned the ticket using the Hoosier Lottery app, she noticed the amount was unusually high. Excitedly, she shared her discovery with the group via their Facebook Messenger chat, exclaiming, “OMG! Everyone, we hit it. We won!” The entire group was buzzing with excitement at the news.

Each member of the group shared their reactions upon receiving Milly’s message, highlighting the unexpected joy of their win. Tony recalled being seated for dinner when he read the message and said, “At that point, I couldn’t eat dinner.” Meanwhile, Kendra initially believed it was a mistake, thinking it was just a wrong call from the group.

Jenny had just seen news of a jackpot win in Columbus and wished it was her when she received the message. She held off informing her adult children for a week before revealing the secret to them, leading to a family celebration.

Roxanne was ready to board a flight for an Alaskan cruise when she heard the news. Despite the allure of claiming the winnings, she decided to continue with her trip, while the others patiently waited for her return.

On August 28, the group gathered at the Hoosier Lottery Prize Payment Office in Indianapolis to claim their winnings. They chose the cash option of $4,682,171, which will be split evenly among them.

The friends have already started making plans for their newfound wealth, considering options like purchasing new cars or homes, all while expressing relief that the win will ease financial burdens.

Sarah M. Taylor, executive director of the Hoosier Lottery, welcomed the group, celebrating their win, “We especially love it when Hoosiers win. The fact that long-time friends and co-workers from the Columbus area have won this jackpot together adds an extra layer of excitement.”