Marshalltown Man Claims $1 Million Prize

Imagine carrying a Powerball ticket around in your wallet for a few days without realizing you’d won a $1 million prize. That’s what a Marshalltown man said he did!

Ricky Rushton of Marshalltown claimed his $1 million Powerball prize Tuesday at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Des Moines. Ricky works the overnight shift at the cafeteria at the Swift pork-packing plant in Marshalltown, and said he hadn’t heard that a $1 million-winning Powerball ticket had been sold at the local convenience store where he usually buys his tickets. So, after completing his shift Tuesday morning, he had his ticket checked.

The clerk calmly told Ricky that he couldn’t cash the ticket. Ricky thought he’d only won $10, and was confused. Then he looked more closely at the print-out from the lottery terminal and saw a lot more zeroes. Click here to hear Ricky talk about his big win, or here to see video of him claiming his prize!    

Ricky was the only player in the country to win a $1 million prize in Saturday’s Powerball drawing. His ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball in the $130.4 million jackpot drawing to win a $200,000 prize. But, Ricky also had added the Power Play® option to his winning ticket, which multiplied the prize to $1 million.

When the Powerball game was redesigned in January, one of the changes made was specifically for the prize players win if, like Ricky, they match the first five numbers and have added the Power Play to their tickets. The prize for that play is always $1 million, no matter what the Power Play number is for that drawing.      

And remember, no one won Saturday’s jackpot, so it’s up to an estimated $150 million for tomorrow night’s drawing! Happy playing and good luck!