Matt Sheridan is one of the youngest SEPTA 48 lottery winners. Just 26. When the tight-knit group of Philly office workers claimed their $172.7 million jackpot on Friday, Matt's story got a lot of laughs.
He's been on the job for less than a year, but part of the lottery office pool from day one.
"I always said, 'It's gonna be on the one day that I miss when they win." So one Friday, when Matt wasn't at work, he called one of his co-workers and asked if he could put money in the pool for Matt that day. He did, although like all the other days, the SEPTA 48 didn't win anything big that drawing.
Then, that very next Monday, when the money was being collected for what would turn out to be their jackpot ticket, Matt returned the favor. He'd been tied up in a meeting and was rushing to get his money into the pot.
"I ran upstairs and I asked my co-workers, 'Did you put in for the lottery?' He said no. I said, 'Well, do you want to play?'"
Matt's buddy said, no, he was good. But Matt insisted. He told him he owed him money so he was putting it in the pool.
"When we found out [we'd won], he ran over, he gave me a hug, he said, "Well, I wanted to kiss you, but it seems a little too much."
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Matt and the other SEPTA 48 winners decided to take their winnings in one lump sum which works out to about $2.2 million each. He says after graduating college and with the tough economy of late, "It's gonna be nice."
