The “Cold Spot Crew” Wins Big; Group of 32 Friends Share $250,000 Mega Millions® Prize

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Lottery Director John Musgrave announced today that a group of 32 friends who gather frequently at the Cold Spot on West Washington Street in Charleston have come forward to claim a $250,000 prize from Friday’s Mega Millions® drawing.

The “Cold Spot Crew” matched five numbers in the drawing and only missed the Mega Ball. The group of 32, made up entirely of Kanawha Valley residents, has been playing both the Powerball® and Mega Millions® drawings for years.

“We have been playing for about eight years as a group and we have added some along the way. Each person puts a dollar in for each drawing,” Dawn Miller, one of the lucky 32, said. “We are all excited about it. It is by far the most we have ever won. Before this the most we won was about $100.”

“After federal and state tax withholdings, each individual should receive around $5,600,” Musgrave said. “The “Cold Spot Crew” is also the largest group to ever share a prize in West Virginia Lottery history and we are very happy for each of them.”

Miller, who works at the Cold Spot, manages the group’s pool each drawing.

“I knew after the drawing that we matched five, but I didn’t tell all the others until Tuesday when I could get them all together,” Miller said. “I sent them a text telling them all to come to the Cold Spot on Tuesday and that it was nothing bad, just good news. That’s when I told them all.”

The “Cold Spot Crew” matched the numbers 02-04-23-38-46 and missed the Mega Ball of 23. Their Mega Ball number was 45. That one number was the difference in a share of the world record jackpot of $640 million and $250,000.

In addition, had they played the Megaplier option for an additional $1, their winnings would have been $1 million. Despite that, the group says they are more than happy to have a share of the $250,000 prize.