SEPTA’s Powerball winners to be presented Friday

A group of SEPTA workers did indeed win the April 25 Powerball jackpot, the Pennsylvania Lottery will officially confirm on Friday, according to sources.

A week ago, officials held a news conference at the Newsstand at the Gallery to reveal the winning ticket had been sold there.

By midafternoon, reports were spreading that 48 jubilant SEPTA employees believed their office pool had the winning ticket.

The jackpot was worth $172.7 million in 30 annual payments, or $107.5 million cash.

Before taxes, of course.

The formal announcement of "a validated claim" is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday in Philadelphia, a lottery spokeswoman said this morning, declining to specify who won, or where the news conference would be held.

Another source confirmed the SEPTA connection.

The news conference will be in the mezzanine board room at SEPTA headquarters, 1234 Market St., and the number of winners is actually 49, because two people are splitting one of the 48 shares.

Assuming they went for the cash, as almost all winners do, that means 47 people will get about $2.29 million, and two will get about $1.14 million.

Word is they don't all plan to quit their jobs. At least not right away.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.