Wisconsin friends Thomas Cook and Joseph Feeney shook hands in 1992 and promised that if one of them won the Powerball jackpot, he would divide the lottery winnings with the other.
Elk Mound’s Cook kept that 28-year deal when he bought the winning ticket for a $ 22 million jackpot at a gas station in Menomonie in June.
“It was quite an experience. When I read the first two or three numbers, I froze,” he said in an interview Thursday with the Wisconsin Lottery.
Cook, who said he was having breakfast at the time, passed the ticket to his wife. “She froze,” he said.
After realizing that he won, Cook called his friend.
Feeomon of Menomonie said she thought Cook was joking. The two men would buy lottery tickets every week, but they never thought they would really win, he explained.
“That happened many years ago,” Cook said of his promise. “A handshake is a handshake, man.”
The friends chose the cash option of about $ 16.7 million, according to a Wisconsin Lottery press release. Cook and Feeney will take home approximately $ 5.7 million after federal and state taxes.
Cook, who has grandchildren and great-grandchildren, retired from his job after winning, according to the press release. Feeney had already retired from the fire department.
Neither of them has fancy plans for the money, but they said they want to spend more time with their families and travel.
“We can go on with what we feel comfortable with,” Cook said in the interview. “I can’t think of a better way to retire.”
It’s the first Powerball jackpot in the state since March 2019 when a 24-year-old man won a record prize of $ 768.4 million, according to the press release. It is the state’s 18th Powerball jackpot victory since Wisconsin debuted the game in 1992. Odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in approximately 292 million.
The state lottery director congratulated friends on their great victory.
“The power of friendship and a handshake has paid off. I am excited for them, their lucky day has arrived! Cindy Polzin said in a statement.
The Menomonie gas station received $ 100,000 for selling the ticket to Cook.
