Officials from the Pennsylvania Lottery and Nittany MiniMart, a Lottery retailer, today presented a commemorative check to a group of 15 UPMC medical workers, who call themselves the Million Dollar Medicals after winning $1 million from the historic July 28, 2023 Mega Millions drawing.

 

According to Mega Millions news published on September 20, 2023, the check presentation was held at Nittany MiniMart, 18265 Route 6, Smethport, Penn., where the winning ticket was sold. The store received a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

 

A spokesperson for the group, Jackie Burdick of McKean County, said five of them started playing together as a group 20 years ago and it just grew from there.

 

“This is the first time we won!” said Burdick. “I’m usually the one who collects the money from my co-workers to play the Lottery. We made a last-minute decision to play that day.”

 

“I was at a doctor’s appointment in Pittsburgh, when I saw on the news that someone won $1 million. Then a family member called me and said, ‘Someone in Smethport won! You better check your ticket.’ I was like, ‘I better check.’”

 

Jackie went on to say that when she did scan the ticket with the PA Lottery Official App, it instructed her to ‘see a retailer.’

 

“When I scanned it at a retailer it showed, ‘Congratulations you won $1 million!’ I thought, ‘Oh my gosh this can’t be real. I have to call these girls!’” she said.

 

“I was in disbelief!” said Jackie. “I was jumping up and down, screaming, yelling and crying! I thought, ‘I can’t wait to tell everyone.’”

 

Each member of the group has already received a check for an estimated $48,600, after taxes.

 

“I think I’ll spend my portion of the prize on my kids, grandkids and a nice vacation,” Burdick added.

 

“We always say, it only takes one ticket to win, and their last-minute decision certainly paid off,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “We appreciate all medical workers and congratulate this group for winning this prize. Pool play is a terrific way to play responsibly and within your means.”

 

This group’s winning ticket was part of a historic Mega Millions jackpot run, which began on April 21, 2023, and lasted until August 8, 2023. It was also a big win for Pennsylvania’s older residents, because that jackpot run generated more than $108.7 million in sales in Pennsylvania, and an estimated profit of $43.5 million for programs that Pennsylvania seniors rely on every day.