WRENTHAM - A $5 "Precious Gem" lottery scratch ticket turned out to be very precious for seven co-workers at Wrentham District Court.

A million dollars' worth of precious.

But the court hasn't closed yet. The workers are figuring out the best way to divvy up the booty over 20 years.

"It was just a fluke. An absolute fluke," Cindy Kerr, a court employee for 33 years, said during a lunch recess Monday after calling cases in the criminal session.

Kerr, who agreed to talk about the group's good luck, said one of the employees purchased the ticket last Friday - Good Friday - at Mike's Liquors off Route 1A near the post office. "It was a Good Friday for us all," Kerr said.

Kerr said she plans to put some of the money away for retirement, give some money to charity, pay college expenses and maybe do a little traveling.

According to a lottery spokeswoman, a $1 million prize amounts to $35,000 a year after state and federal taxes, based on 2007 rates. That's about $5,000 a year for each of the seven winners.

But that's OK with winners.

"It's found money," Kerr said. "It's something you didn't have before."

The store will get 1 percent for selling the winning ticket.

Owner Mike Lorusso said his take will cover the money he owes the state for being a lottery agent. He said he has sold two Mass Cash winners before.