The winner of the September 30th Powerball drawing has now come forward.

In a Michigan Lottery press conference October 6, Julie Leach of Three Rivers, Michigan was named as the winner of the $310.5 million dollar Jackpot.

"It's unreal", Leach said at the conference.  "I never thought it would happen.  I'm just in disbelief."

Leach says she bought $20 worth of tickets on September 30th.  She's played the lottery before, even taking part in a lottery pool at work, but she never thought she would win big.

On realizing she was the winner, Leach said "I was trying to focus on the numbers, and the dates, and I was shaking, I was in disbelief.  It's amazing."

As for continuing to work? "I quit automatically. (laughs) I was done."

She had been a supervisor at Aquatic Bathware in Three Rivers, working there for 23 years.  Despite leaving, however, she says her co-workers are happy for her.

Julie Leach says she plans on taking the lump sum amount of $197 million before taxes, instead of the graduated payment of the full jackpot over 30 years.

Leach plans on sharing with her long time significant other of 32 years, along with her son, daughter, stepson, and 11 grandchildren.  She plans on using the money to buy a large amount of land in Michigan, and building houses for all of her family on it.

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