California office pool wins $543 million lottery jackpot

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The California Lottery says last month's $543 million Mega Millions jackpot was won by 11 members of an office pool that played on a whim.

A Lottery statement Friday says Roland Reyes and the others showed up at its Hayward office on the east side of San Francisco Bay the day after the July 24 draw.

The members declined to say where they work, other than that it is in the financial industry and they plan to keep their jobs. They declined to speak to media or be photographed.

The Lottery says they decided on the spur of the moment to pitch in $2 apiece when they heard about the jackpot.

They can take $543 million over 30 years or a lump-sum option of $320.5 million. Both options are before taxes.