US Powerball jackpot winners to rebuild after hurricane

THE 16 New Jersey workers who won a third of last week’s $448 million (R4.4 billion) Powerball jackpot said on Tuesday that many of them had suffered losses during superstorm Sandy and planned to use their winnings to rebuild their lives.

The co-workers, nicknamed Ocean’s 16, were introduced to the public at a news conference in Toms River, New Jersey. They received a cheque for $86 054 355, their share after taxes, lottery officials said.

They produced the second of three winning tickets. The first winner, who came forward last week, was Minnesota engineer Paul White, but the final holder has not yet come forward publicly.

Six group members said their homes had been damaged by the hurricane last year, and most said they planned to keep working at the Ocean County Vehicles Services Department.

One “Ocean’s 16” winner, Darlene Riccio, said she lost the home she had rented with her daughter for five years during the October 2012 superstorm. They have been staying with family. “It has been an extremely rough year,” she said at an emotional and often humorous news conference. “The first thing I’m going to do is buy me and my daughter a home and bring my dog back.”

The nine women and seven men, who are good friends, bought 48 Quick Pick tickets, each putting in $6. After taxes, eachwill receive $3.8m. The odds of winning are one in 175 million.