7 N.Y. state workers said to hit jackpot

ALBANY, N.Y., March 27 (UPI) -- A $319 million lottery jackpot was won by seven New York state government workers, the New York Post reported Sunday.

The newspaper's sources said the winners are information technology employees in the state's Homes and Community Renewal agency.

The workers had pooled their resources to buy several Quick Pick tickets for last Friday's Mega Millions lottery drawing at Coulson's News Center, a longtime, family-run convenience store in Albany.

The winners have not yet come forward to officially claim their prize, a New York Lottery spokeswoman said, but they have a year to do so.

They will be able to choose to accept the total prize in payments over 25 years or take a one-time payment of $202.9 million before taxes. The seven winners would split $134 million, or $19.1 million each, after taxes.

"They're all just middle-class folks," said Emanuel Biondi, a union representative with the state Public Employees Federation. "I'm thrilled for them."