Group From Blaine County Claims $1 Million Powerball Prize

A group of 10 co-workers, friends, and relatives from Blaine County has claimed the $1 million prize they won in the October 9 Powerball drawing.

The group calls itself the Split 10, and it includes Gregory Ryan, Nelson Callicoat, Carol Gilchrist, Robert Hoffman and Jean Howard of Canton; Robert Spencer, Kelli Spencer, Willie Grissom and Timothy Flyingout of Watonga; and Maximino Rivera of Okeene.

After taxes, each member of the group receives approximately $71,000.

10/10/2013 Related Story: Million-Dollar Powerball Winner In Oklahoma

Hoffman was in charge of purchasing the pool's tickets, and decided not to buy them at the group's normal lottery retailer. Instead, he purchased them at the Love's Travel Stop at 304 W. Russworm in Watonga.

The group successfully matched five of five white balls, which is a $1 million prize.

The Split 10 has been playing as a pool for five years. Ryan is the pool manager. He and five others work in a local manufacturing company. The group also includes Ryan's daughter and son-in-law, and one of his former classmates and her mother.

Ryan has been adding money to the pool for both his daughter and son-in-law, Kelli and Robert Spencer.

"My dad mentioned to me at one point that he had us in a lottery pool," said Kelli. "And really I haven't thought about it since then. So to repay him, we are going to be taking my dad to Ireland."

Another winner, Rivera, plans to use a portion of his winnings to purchase a new truck. "We are just going to pay cash for the truck. It will be nice not to have a truck payment."