Twenty-Six Factory Workers Claim Second Share of $100 Million FLORIDA LOTTO Jackpot!; ``It's The Longest Dream I Have Ever Had!'' - David Stokes, Jr., Florida Lotto Jackpot Winner.

News Editors

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002

A group of 26 Dothan, Ala., factory workers, who pooled their money for the first time, today claimed the second of four shares of the estimated $100 million FLORIDA LOTTO jackpot from the Dec. 14, 2002, drawing. A Marco Island financial adviser claimed the first share Wednesday, but the winning tickets sold in Fort Pierce and Jacksonville from that drawing have not yet been redeemed.

Claiming the prize for the whole group under the name of "The Lucky 26 Partnership," two members of the group came to Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. They could have received their winnings in 30 annual installments of approximately $873,000(1) per year, but instead chose one lump sum of $14,281,243.70. They put the cash value of their prize at approximately $400,000 after taxes for each member of the group.

"It's not enough to quit work - only one person has said he might do that," said David Stokes, Jr., member and General Partner of the group. "This money is more for the future than for the immediate. It's the amount of money that keeps you well grounded."

"The number one thing is education for our kids," said pool member Bonnie Ezell.

"There's going to be some businesses started, bills paid, houses paid off, and at least one person going back to school," said the group's attorney, Harry P. Hall, II, of Dothan, Ala.

Total ticket sales for this jackpot generated approximately $68 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund for Florida's schools.

Bonnie got the idea of starting their pool when her co-workers were unusually lucky at winning door prizes at their company's Christmas party.

"Then the jackpot went to $100 million and I knew we had to start a pool," she said. "We had everybody sign an agreement to share the money equally. We collected $5 from everybody and bought 130 tickets - all Quick Picks (the Lottery's computerized number selection system)."

One pool member bought the group's tickets at Big Daddy's, located at 1179 Highway 79 in Bonifay. The store has received a one-fourth portion of the $10,000 retailer bonus for selling the winning jackpot ticket. The winning numbers for the December 14, 2002 drawing are: 06 - 14 - 18 - 36 - 39 - 45.

"I think one of us was supposed to win," Bonnie said, "and the rest of us are just along for the ride."

The twenty-six members of the pool all work for Dunbarton Corporation in Dothan, Ala., manufacturing steel frames and bi-fold doors. They range in age from early twenties to late forties.

"A friend who is in the pool called and got me out of bed after the drawing Saturday night," David said of finding out the news. "I thought it was strange he was whispering, but I heard him say, `I think we won the Lottery.'"

David got some more calls from other group members and called Bonnie.

"I didn't believe him at first," Bonnie said. "I thought he was kidding, but I could hear his wife screaming in the background!"

The Lucky 26 Partnership is the 4th FLORIDA LOTTO winner either to reside in, or to purchase a winning ticket in, Holmes County and the 706th LOTTO winner to win at least $1 million since 1988.

The jackpot for tomorrow's (Saturday's) FLORIDA LOTTO drawing is estimated at $6 million! The drawing will be broadcast live on 13 television stations statewide at 11 p.m. EST .

(1)Prize estimate based on current interest rates on day of prize claim.

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