ialottery blog

$2 Million Powerball Winner: Ticket Was In Car’s Sun Visor

In a slice-of-life moment, a northeast Iowa woman realized she’d left a $2 million-winning Powerball® ticket tucked into the sun visor of her car.

Karla and Keith Elenz of New Hampton claimed the $2 million prize today at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. Karla said they first got a head’s up about the big news when an email was sent Tuesday to all employees at the auto-parts manufacturing facility where they work. The Iowa Lottery had announced earlier that day that a $2 million prize was won in Monday’s Powerball drawing with a ticket purchased in the Chickasaw County community of about 3,500.

Karla, 53, said that in the email, her company shared the details about the lottery announcement and said they hoped the winner would be someone they knew. That prompted Karla to run out to her car in the parking lot, where she’d left a Powerball ticket in the sun visor.

She said she brought up the winning Powerball numbers on her mobile phone and compared those to the numbers on the ticket. Then she knew she had to find her husband.

Keith Elenz, 55, said he could tell Karla had something big to share, but in the rush of the moment, they understandably had a little trouble getting all the words out. He said his wife told him they won and he kept asking, “Won what?” When she told him she thought the prize was $2 million, Keith said his reaction was: “Noooo.”

The couple said they somehow kept the news to themselves for the rest of the afternoon, and then their communications difficulties took another amusing turn when they shared the details that evening with their family. Karla said her mom initially thought they’d won a $2,000 prize. Karla told her that she needed to keep adding more zeroes.

Karla and Keith both say that they plan to invest their winnings, continue working, and help local charities.

Karla bought their $2 million-winning ticket at Casey’s, 615 N. Linn Ave. in New Hampton. She chose her own numbers, playing a set that are significant to her. Their ticket was just one number away from having at least a share of Monday’s $26.8 million jackpot, initially matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball to win a $1 million prize.

But Karla also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplies the prize at the Match 5 level to $2 million. The New Hampton ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in Monday’s drawing.

Monday’s winning numbers were 14-17-18-21-27 and Powerball 9. The Power Play option was 2. Casey’s will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket.

Exciting Start To 2022: New Hampton Ticket Wins $2 Million Powerball Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in northeast Iowa won a $2 million Powerball prize in last night’s drawing.

The $2 million-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 615 N. Linn Ave. in New Hampton. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $26.8 million jackpot.

The lucky ticket initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. But whoever bought the ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplies the prize at the Match 5 level to $2 million.

The New Hampton ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing.

Last night’s winning numbers were 14-17-18-21-27 and Powerball 9. The Power Play option was 2. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $38 million annuity ($26.4 million lump-sum option) for the game’s next drawing tomorrow night.

Casey’s will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket.

Prizes of $2 million must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and prize claims are currently available by appointment. The winner or winners of the New Hampton prize can call the lottery at 515-725-7900 to make an appointment to claim it.

The Latest About The Powerball Jackpot

Update on Tuesday, Oct. 5: Last night's giant Powerball jackpot was won with a ticket purchased in California. And as I had referenced yesterday, strong sales across the country pushed the actual jackpot total past even the latest estimates made in advance. The final amount was $699.8 million annuity, $496 million lump-sum option. That's the 5th-largest prize in the Powerball game and the 7th-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history.         

The giant Powerball® jackpot continues to climb, now at an estimated $685 million annuity, $485.5 million lump-sum amount, for tonight’s drawing. The official estimate was raised earlier today to its current amount, driven by strong sales during the weekend across the country.

The big prize is now the 6th-largest jackpot in the history of the Powerball game and the 8th-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history. But in general, players buy the majority of tickets the day of a drawing, so it’s possible that tonight’s final jackpot amount will be higher than the advance estimates.

The Powerball jackpot has been growing for nearly four months. It was last won June 5 with a ticket purchased in Florida.

Drawing Details, And An Iowa Ticket That Came SO Close  

The winning numbers in Saturday’s Powerball drawing were: 28-38-42-47-52 and Powerball 1. The Power Play number was 2. An Iowa ticket was just one number away from that night’s big prize and won $100,000. 

The ticket initially matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. But whoever bought the ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $100,000.

The $100,000-winning ticket was purchased at the Fareway supermarket at 1325 Albia Road in Ottumwa.

What Would $685 Million Look Like?

We calculated this for fun. Here is what $685 million in $1 bills would look like stacked up or stretched end to end:

A $1 bill is 0.0043 inches thick. That means $685 million in $1 bills would stretch 46.49 miles high. That’s way up there, but wouldn’t quite reach into space, which depending upon the definition used, begins at either 50 miles above sea level or 62 miles up. 

And if they were lined up end to end, $685 million in $1 bills (each 6.14 inches long) would stretch for more than 66,380 miles. That’s enough to circle earth’s equator (24,901 miles) more than 2.5 times.

But could you actually get 685 million in $1 bills? Maybe. According to estimates, there are about 11.7 billion $1 bills in circulation in the United States.

General Reminders About How To Play

• Giant jackpots bring a lot of first-timers and occasional players into the Powerball game. For those who want a refresher (or crash course), the Iowa Lottery keeps how-to-play videos on its website to provide the key points in just a couple minutes. Here is a direct link to that page: https://www.ialottery.com/Pages/Multimedia/HowToPlay.aspx
• The deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for a Powerball drawing is at 8:59 p.m. the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize. 
• And, please remember to play responsibly. You only need one ticket to have a chance to win.

Drawing Results Finalized, Powerball Tix Can Again Be Checked & Cashed

Aug. 25 update: The official results from Monday's Powerball drawing have been finalized and tickets in the game can again be checked and cashed. The estimated jackpot amount for tonight's Powerball drawing has also been updated. 

The official results from last night’s Powerball® drawing have been delayed, meaning that tickets in the game can’t currently be checked or cashed in Iowa. This issue only involves Powerball – tickets in all other Iowa Lottery games can be processed as usual.

The Powerball drawing was held last night and the winning numbers from it are posted. But for the official draw results to be finalized, security protocols have to be met by all 48 lotteries in the game. Two lotteries outside of Iowa needed additional processing time. That has caused the current delay, and without the official results, the next estimated jackpot in the game can’t be set.

If you have a Powerball ticket, please hang onto it and we’ll provide an update when tickets in the game can be checked and cashed again.

Monday Drawings In Powerball® Start Next Week

We gave you the preview back in May, and now the time is almost here: Powerball’s first Monday drawing will happen next week.

Powerball is moving from two drawings per week up to three. The game will still have drawings on Wednesdays and Saturdays like it always has, and now Mondays will be part of the mix, too.  

The changes in the game are designed to produce more winners and generate larger, faster-growing jackpots. But remember that while the additional drawings will create more chances to win, they won’t change Powerball’s prize levels, odds of winning, or ticket price.

Players in $2 Powerball will still choose their first five numbers from a pool of 69, and another number – called the Powerball – from a separate pool of 26. The Power Play® option is available for an extra $1 per play.

With the Monday drawings almost here, the countdown on advance plays in Powerball also will end soon. Normally, you can buy Powerball tickets for up to 10 consecutive drawings in advance in Iowa. But when a major change is made in one of our games, a standard part of the process is that advance plays are limited until the change takes effect. The procedure is designed to ensure that you have valid tickets for all upcoming drawings, both before and after the change.

Advance plays in Powerball are limited through tomorrow night. Once sales end for tomorrow’s night’s Powerball drawing, things will reset and you’ll be able to buy tickets for up to 10 drawings in advance again here in Iowa.

Waterloo Man Claims $2 Million Powerball Prize

A Waterloo man has claimed two prizes from Saturday’s Powerball® drawing – with one a bit bigger than the other!

Anton Garrett claimed a total of $2,000,021 in Powerball prizes. He bought five Powerball plays on one ticket, and on one of those plays he won a $21 prize. On another, he won $2 million.

He chose his own numbers, playing a combination of family birthdays, anniversaries and other significant dates.

Anton said he always dreamed he would win, that it was something he could just see.

He bought his winning ticket at New Star Liquor, 1625 W. Fourth St. in Waterloo. On one of his plays, he initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win $1 million. But he also added the Power Play® option to his ticket, which multiplies that prize at the Match 5 level to $2 million. It multiplied his smaller prize from an initial $7 to $21.

Anton’s ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in Saturday’s drawing.

Anton, who is 48 and works at Tyson Foods in Waterloo as a forklift operator, bought his winning ticket at New Star Liquor, 1625 W. Fourth St. in Waterloo. The store will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket.

Anton’s wife, Astrid, traveled with him as he claimed his prize and admitted that she had given him a hard time about buying lottery tickets. But he said with a smile that he did good on Saturday.

Saturday’s winning numbers were: 12-17-20-21-26 and Powerball 8. The Power Play number was 3. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $168 million annuity ($117 million lump-sum option) for Wednesday.

Anton said he learned early yesterday that he had won a big prize when he stopped at another nearby store for coffee and had the clerk there check his Powerball tickets. He said the lottery terminal there started spitting out paper, which included his receipt for checking the ticket as well as a lottery claim form. Anton said the clerk read the paperwork and excitedly told him he’d won $2 million!

Anton said that he and his wife plan to invest his winnings for retirement and buy a new home.

Ticket Purchased In Waterloo Wins $2 Million Powerball Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket in Waterloo won a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing. It’s Iowa’s second big Powerball win this year.

The $2 million-winning ticket was purchased at New Star Liquor, 1625 W. Fourth St. in Waterloo. The lucky ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $155.9 million jackpot.

The ticket initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. But whoever bought the ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplies the prize at the Match 5 level to $2 million.

The Waterloo ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing.

The winning numbers were: 12-17-20-21-26 and Powerball 8. The Power Play number was 3. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $168 million annuity ($117 million lump-sum option) for Wednesday’s drawing.

New Star Liquor will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket.

Prizes of $2 million must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and prize claims are currently available by appointment. The winner or winners of the Waterloo prize can call the lottery at 515-725-7900 to make an appointment to claim it.

In February, a western Iowa man claimed a $500,000 prize, Iowa’s first big Powerball win of the year. Gene Dice of Sergeant Bluff had purchased his ticket at a local convenience store for the Feb. 20 drawing. 

Powerball prizes won in Iowa must be claimed within 365 days of the drawing in which they were won. The lottery reminds players to double-check their tickets for any prize they may have won.

He Admits He Jokes Around A Lot, But Not About His $500,000 Lottery Win

Joking around may have gotten in the way a little bit when it came to a Woodbury County man’s $500,000 lottery win.

Gene Dice Sr. of Sergeant Bluff said he didn’t believe the news at first when the clerk at a local convenience store told him he’d won big. And then he had a hard time getting his adult children to believe the news, also because jokes are such a standard part of his life.

But after turning in his winning Powerball® ticket today at lottery headquarters in Clive, Dice had this to say: “No joke! We have the ticket.”

Dice, 73 and retired, said he learned he’d won a $500,000 prize on Sunday morning during his usual stop for coffee. He said he asked the clerk at the store to check his ticket from the previous night’s Powerball drawing and she initially told him she thought he’d won a $50,000 prize. But he double-checked the details printed by the lottery terminal and realized there was another “0” involved in the prize amount. 

Dice bought his $500,000-winning ticket at that same store, Mike’s Mini Mart, 100 Iowa Highway 75 S. in Sergeant Bluff. His ticket came within one number of having at least a share of Saturday’s $81.3 million jackpot.

He initially matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. But because he also added the Power Play® option to his easy-pick ticket, his winnings were multiplied to $500,000.

Dice said he always adds the Power Play to his ticket and is especially glad he did that with Saturday’s 10X multiplier. His message for other players: “Put the Power Play on there and see what happens!”

Saturday’s winning numbers were: 4-8-22-32-58 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 10. Dice’s ticket was one of nine across the country to win a $500,000 prize that night. Mike’s Mini Mart will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket.

Dice said he plans to use part of his winnings to pay off his car and truck, and added that his big win has helped alleviate his retirement worries.

Ticket Purchased In NW Iowa Wins $500,000 Powerball Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket at a Woodbury County convenience store won a $500,000 prize in Saturday’s drawing.

The $500,000-winning ticket was purchased at Mike’s Mini Mart, 100 Iowa Highway 75 S. in Sergeant Bluff. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of Saturday’s $81.3 million jackpot.

The ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But whoever bought the winning ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $500,000.

Saturday’s winning numbers were: 4-8-22-32-58 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 10. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $90 million annuity ($64.2 million lump-sum option) for Wednesday.

The Sergeant Bluff ticket was one of nine around the country to win a $500,000 prize in Saturday’s drawing.

Mike’s Mini Mart will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket.

Prizes of $500,000 must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and currently offer prize claims by appointment. To make an appointment to claim the prize, the winner or winners of the Sergeant Bluff prize should call the lottery at 515-725-7900.

Powerball players in Iowa have 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes.

Player Comment: I Don’t Understand The Power Play/Megaplier Option …

Now that we’re a little ways out from last month’s hub-bub when the jackpots were sky-high in Powerball® and Mega Millions®, I’m circling back to a question we got at the time from folks who said they just don’t understand the Power Play® and Megaplier® options or what they mean.

The Power Play and Megaplier both cost an extra $1 per play. They’re called multipliers because they multiply any prize you win except the jackpot.

For the Power Play or Megaplier to kick in, you first have to win a prize in a drawing. If you win a prize and you've added the multiplier option to your ticket, in most instances, your prize will be multiplied by that number. (Remember that the jackpot amount is not multiplied in either game, and in Powerball, the $1 million Match 5 prize goes to $2 million with the Power Play added.) 

Here are a couple examples to help with the explanation:

1.) You added the Power Play option to your Powerball ticket but you didn't win a prize. In that case, nothing more happens – you didn't win anything, so there’s no prize for the Power Play to multiply.

2.) You win a $500 Mega Millions prize by matching four of the five white balls in that night’s drawing. You added the Megaplier option to your ticket and the Megaplier number that night is 4. Your initial $500 prize will be multiplied by 4, so you’ll ultimately win a $2,000 prize because you added the Megaplier option!

If you’re more a visual learner, we also cover this topic in our "How To Play" videos. Click here for a link to the main page for the videos.

And not to be left out, there also is a multiplier option in the Lotto America® game. It’s called the All Star Bonus® and also costs an extra $1 per play.

Good luck with your tickets and we hope to see you claim a big prize soon!

$150,000 Winners: She Pledges Not To Complain If He Doesn’t Have His Glasses

After all the hub-bub surrounding the big jackpots in Powerball® and Mega Millions®, here’s a fun story about some Iowa winners. They may not have won a jackpot, but their story still packs a punch: They won a $150,000 Powerball prize because the husband made a mistake while filling out their play slip.   

Barbara Haley of Sioux City claimed their prize this week at the Iowa Lottery’s regional office in Storm Lake. She said that she and her husband, Steve, have played the same numbers in Powerball for years, basing them on family birthdays. But when Steve filled out their play slip this particular time, he got one of the numbers wrong, marking an 8 instead of a 9.

Barbara admitted that she often razzes Steve for not wearing his glasses, but says she’ll stop complaining about that now!

Thinking that their ticket contained a slightly different set of numbers, the Haleys believed they’d won $300 and decided to claim the prize during a stop for groceries. Barbara said she started shopping while Steve went to cash in the ticket. But pretty soon she heard a store announcement asking her to go to customer service. When she got there, she learned they’d won a lot more than $300.

The Haleys’ ticket initially won a $50,000 prize in Saturday’s Powerball drawing by matching four of the five white balls and the Powerball. But because they added the Power Play option to their ticket for an extra $1, their prize was multiplied to $150,000.       

The winning numbers in Saturday’s drawing were 5-8-17-27-28 and Powerball 14. The Power Play number was 3. I’ve included a shot of the Haleys’ winning ticket here so you can see the numbers they matched.

Was it a happy accident? A little extra luck? Whatever you call it, that’s a fun outcome!

Both Huge Jackpots Have Now Been Won

The giant Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots have now both been won. The $1 billion jackpot in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing was won by a ticket purchased in Michigan, while Wednesday’s $731.1 million Powerball jackpot was won by a ticket in Maryland.

This was first time that the games’ jackpots had simultaneously topped the $700 million mark.

Drawing Details, Iowa Tickets That Won Prizes  

A total of 50,106 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing.

The winning numbers in Friday’s drawing were: 4-26-42-50-60 and Mega Ball 24. The Megaplier number was 2.

In Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, 41,368 plays purchased in Iowa won prizes, so between the two games, Iowa players won prizes on more than 91,000 plays in the latest drawings.

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2.7 million in Mega Millions tickets for Friday’s drawing, including more than $1.8 million in tickets on Friday alone. Given the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, those figures are understandably both well down from sales totals during other recent times with giant jackpots.

The average Mega Millions purchase on Friday in Iowa remained about $6, or three plays per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that Iowans had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

Easy Pick vs. Your Own Numbers

The vast majority of tickets being purchased in Powerball and Mega Millions are easy picks, meaning that the player opted to have the lottery terminal randomly select the numbers involved. Nearly 94 percent of the plays purchased for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

The odds of winning are the same for every ticket in the games, whether the player buys an easy pick or chooses their own numbers. There are more easy-pick winners simply because most of the tickets being purchased are easy picks.

The ‘Longest Roll’

The length of time that a jackpot continues to grow is often referred to as a roll, meaning that it keeps rolling without being hit. Powerball and Mega Millions both just ended their longest rolls ever. Friday’s drawing was the 37th since the Mega Millions jackpot had last been won on Sept. 15 while Wednesday’s drawing was the 36th since the Powerball jackpot had last been won Sept. 16.

Powerball Jackpot Won, Mega Millions Climbs Even Higher

UPDATE on Friday, Jan. 22: The jackpot for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised even further, now at an estimated $1 billion annuity. The new details are included here.

The long, fun roll for the Powerball® jackpot has ended, while the giant prize in Mega Millions® is still in the stratosphere.

Last night’s $731.1 million Powerball jackpot was won with a ticket purchased in Maryland. But the Mega Millions jackpot continues on, currently standing at an estimated $1 billion annuity, $739.6 million lump-sum option for that game’s next drawing at 10 p.m. Friday.

Drawing Details, Iowa Tickets That Won Prizes  

A total of 41,368 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in last night’s Powerball drawing, ranging from $4 up to $50,000.

The $50,000-winning ticket was just one number away from having a share of Wednesday’s jackpot, matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. That ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 1200 Fifth Ave. NE in Independence.

The winning numbers in last night’s Powerball drawing were: 40-53-60-68-69 and Powerball 22. The Power Play number was 3.

In Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, 35,826 plays in Iowa won prizes, so between the two games, Iowa players have won prizes on more than 77,000 plays so far just this week.

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2.4 million in Powerball tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $1 million in tickets yesterday alone. Given the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, those figures are understandably both well down from sales totals during other recent times with giant jackpots.

The average Powerball purchase yesterday in Iowa remained about $6, or three plays per ticket. Lottery officials are glad to see that Iowans are having fun playing but haven’t gone overboard.

Huge Numbers For Easy Picks 

The vast majority of tickets being purchased in both games are easy picks, meaning that the players opted to have the lottery terminal randomly select the numbers involved. More than 91 percent of the plays purchased for last night’s Powerball drawing were easy picks, while nearly 94 percent of the tickets purchased for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

The odds of winning are the same for every ticket in the games, whether the player buys an easy pick or chooses their own numbers. There are more easy-pick winners simply because most of the tickets being purchased are easy picks.

Anecdotes About Less Pool Play

A new phenomenon being seen in Iowa during this big jackpot run appears to be an offshoot of so many people working from home during the COVID-19 health emergency.

Anecdotally, Iowa Lottery retailers report they’re not seeing as many players buying tickets in office pools or with groups of friends and neighbors. Remaining socially distanced means a lot of folks aren’t gathering in those central spots where they would have joined in pool play.            

The ‘Longest Roll’

The length of time that a jackpot continues to grow is often referred to as a roll, meaning that it keeps rolling without being hit. Powerball just ended its longest roll ever: Wednesday’s drawing was the 36th since that game’s jackpot had been won on Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York.

The Mega Millions jackpot also is on its longest roll – and it’s still going! Friday’s drawing will be the 37th since the Mega Millions jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin.

What’s That About ‘Coverage’?

By tracking sales, lottery officials can estimate how many of all the possible combinations have been purchased for a particular drawing. The coverage estimate for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is about 40 percent. (The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are about 1 in 302.6 million because that’s how many ways the numbers in the game can be combined in a play.)

Player Question: Why Do Some Numbers Come Up More Often As The Multiplier?

A player recently emailed us with a question about the All Star bonus option in the Lotto America game, and since the same concept applies to the multiplier option in Powerball and Mega Millions, I’ll cover all three of them here.

The player wondered why the number 2 comes up more often as the All Star Bonus in Lotto America. You may already know that the Bonus option can be added to a play in the Lotto America game for an extra $1, and it will multiply any prize you win. The All Star Bonus is similar to the Power Play option in Powerball and the Megaplier option in Mega Millions.   

The answer to the player’s question is found in the game rules, which are available on our website as part of the details for each game.  

The All Star Bonus option can multiply a Lotto America prize (except the jackpot) by 2, 3, 4 or 5. So, for example, if your ticket matches the five white balls in a drawing but misses the Star Ball, you’d win a $20,000 prize. But if you’ve added the All Star Bonus option to your ticket and the Bonus number that night is 3, your prize will be multiplied to $60,000.

In the Powerball game, the Power Play option can multiply prizes (except the jackpot and the Match 5 prize) by 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 times. And in Mega Millions, the Megaplier option can multiply prizes except the jackpot by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times.

But when it comes to Lotto America specifically, why does the number 2 come up more often as the multiplier? It’s due to the universe of numbers available to be selected as the All Star Bonus. There are 32 numbers in the All Star Bonus pool. Of them, 15 are 2s, 10 are 3s, 4 are 4s, and 3 are 5s. Here is what that looks like in table form:
32 Total Numbers In All Star Bonus Pool
2X = 15
3X = 10
4X = 4
5X = 3

So, does it stand to reason that the All Star Bonus number would come up more often as 2 or 3? Yes. But the other multipliers also have a shot. It’s the same concept for the multipliers in our other big-jackpot games.

Here are the details for the Power Play option in Powerball:
43 Total Numbers In Power Play Pool
2X = 24
3X = 13
4X = 3
5X = 2
10X = 1

And here are the details for the Megaplier option in Mega Millions:
15 Total Numbers In Megaplier Pool
2X = 5
3X = 6
4X = 3
5X = 1

Marion Man Wins $150,000 Powerball Prize

A Marion man has claimed a $150,000 Powerball® prize today with a ticket he purchased at a Cedar Rapids supermarket. To give you a look at a ticket winning a big prize, I’ve included a picture here of that lucky slip of paper.

As you can see, Jerome Thurmon’s ticket came within one number of having at least a share of the $91.6 million jackpot in last Wednesday’s Powerball drawing (Oct. 21). One of the plays on Jerome’s easy-pick ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But because he also added the Power Play® option to his ticket, his prize was multiplied to $150,000.

The winning numbers in the Oct. 21 drawing were: 1-3-13-44-56 and Powerball 26. The Power Play number was 3. The jackpot has continued to climb since then and now stands at an estimated $116 million annuity, $89.5 million cash option, for tomorrow night’s drawing.

Jerome bought his winning ticket at the store where he works, the Hy-Vee at 1556 First Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids. Hy-Vee will receive a $150 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $150,000-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Ticket Purchased In Cedar Rapids Wins $150,000 Powerball Prize

 

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket in Cedar Rapids won a $150,000 prize in last night’s drawing.

The $150,000-winning ticket was purchased at the Hy-Vee supermarket at 1556 First Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $91.6 million jackpot.

The Cedar Rapids ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But whoever bought the winning ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $150,000.

Last night’s winning numbers were: 1-3-13-44-56 and Powerball 26. The Power Play number was 3. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $102 million annuity ($80.7 million cash option) for Saturday.

Hy-Vee will receive a $150 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $150,000-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Prizes of $150,000 can be claimed at any of the Iowa Lottery’s regional offices, which are open Monday through Friday and currently offer prize claims by appointment. To make an appointment, the winner or winners of the Cedar Rapids prize should call the lottery at 319-395-9313 or 515-725-7900.

Rainstorm Changes Clinton Woman’s Usual Stop For Tickets, She Wins $500,000

Mother Nature played a part in a Clinton woman’s $500,000 Powerball® prize.

Gayle Fraker bought her winning ticket while out running errands in the middle of a downpour. With the weather, she decided to stop at a different store than the one where she usually buys her tickets. And the next day at work, everyone was talking about the $500,000 prize won at the store where she’d stopped. But she’d left her tickets at home, so she couldn’t check them until that night.

As soon as she saw that she’d won a big prize, she took a picture of herself screaming for joy and sent it to her adult children, who all soon converged at her house. She immediately had them double-check the numbers to be sure she really had won.

Fraker, 60, is a supervisor at DM Services Inc., a direct-mail company in Clinton. She bought her easy-pick ticket at the Kwik Star, 911 S. 14th St. in Clinton. She came within one number of having at least a share of last Wednesday’s $87.3 million Powerball jackpot.

Her ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball that night to initially win a $50,000 prize. But she also added the Power Play® option to her purchase, which multiplied her prize to $500,000. Fraker said she always adds the Power Play so that if she wins, she’ll win big.

That night’s winning numbers were: 27-47-61-62-69 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 10. Kwik Star will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Fraker said she plans to use her winnings to pay off her mortgage and all her bills, and then plan for retirement.

She claimed the second $500,000 Powerball prize won in Iowa this month. A Waterloo man won a $500,000 prize by purchasing the same type of Power Play ticket for the Powerball drawing on July 8. Tu Kha Maung, 29, claimed his prize July 10. 

As she looked at her prize check today, Fraker just kept shaking her head. She said it’s crazy and awesome and her heart still hasn’t stopped pounding.

For the 2nd Time This Month, Iowa Ticket Wins $500,000 Powerball Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket in Clinton won a $500,000 prize in last night’s drawing. It’s the second prize of that size to hit in Iowa this month.

The latest $500,000-winning ticket was purchased at the Kwik Star convenience store, 911 S. 14th St. in Clinton. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $87.3 million Powerball jackpot.

The Clinton ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But whoever bought the winning ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $500,000.

A Waterloo man won a $500,000 prize with the same type of play in the Powerball drawing on July 8. Tu Kha Maung, 29, claimed his prize two days later.

Last night’s winning numbers were: 27-47-61-62-69 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 10. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $97 million annuity ($78.3 million cash option) for Saturday.

The Clinton ticket was one of three in the country to win a $500,000 prize in last night’s drawing, while a ticket in California won a $1 million prize.

Kwik Star will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Prizes of $500,000 have to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and currently offer curbside prize claims by appointment. To make an appointment, the winner or winners of the Clinton prize should call the lottery at 515-725-7900.

Waterloo Man Claims $500,000 Powerball Prize

Talk about a nice start to the weekend! A Waterloo man who bought a Powerball® ticket at a local grocery store claimed a $500,000 prize today.

Tu Kha Maung, 29, bought an easy pick ticket that came within one number of having at least a share of Wednesday’s $69.3 million Powerball jackpot. He matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize, but because he also added the Power Play® option to his ticket, his prize was multiplied to $500,000.

Wednesday’s winning numbers were: 3-10-34-36-62 and Powerball 5. The Power Play number was 10. No one matched all six numbers to win that night's jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $79 million annuity ($63 million cash option) for tomorrow’s drawing.

Maung’s ticket was one of only three in the country to win a $500,000 prize in Wednesday’s drawing. The other two were in New Jersey and Puerto Rico.

Maung bought his winning ticket at the Guddi Mart at 306 Byron Ave. in Waterloo. The store will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket.

Powerball Ticket Bought In Waterloo Wins $500,000 Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket in Waterloo won a $500,000 prize in last night’s drawing.

The $500,000-winning ticket was purchased at the Guddi Mart, a grocery store at 306 Byron Ave. in Waterloo. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $69.3 million jackpot.

The ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But whoever bought the winning ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $500,000.

Last night’s winning numbers were: 3-10-34-36-62 and Powerball 5. The Power Play number was 10. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $79 million annuity ($63 million cash option) for Saturday.

The Waterloo ticket was one of three in the country to win a $500,000 prize in last night’s drawing. The other two were in New Jersey and Puerto Rico.

The Guddi Mart will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket.

Prizes of $500,000 need to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and currently offer curbside prize claims by appointment. To make an appointment to claim the prize, the winner or winners should call the lottery at 515-725-7900.

Powerball & Mega Millions Changing, We’re Offering Free Plays For “Multi-Draw” Tickets Involved

***This blog entry has been updated to include details about changes to the Mega Millions game that were announced on Friday, April 3, and to include a direct link to the web page with the claim form for free-play requests.***

After earlier changes were announced in Powerball®, the Mega Millions® game is now making similar adjustments. The deepening COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on everyday life is behind it all.

In both Powerball and Mega Millions, the starting jackpot amount will be eliminated along with any minimum amount that the jackpot will grow between drawings. Instead, both amounts will be determined on a drawing-by-drawing basis and announced ahead of the next upcoming drawing.

The adjustments are needed to ensure that ticket sales in both games can support their jackpots and other prizes. The deepening COVID-19 public health emergency has drastically impacted life for us all and altered normal consumer behavior, including ticket purchases in Powerball and Mega Millions. Interest rates also have declined amidst the health crisis, and that in turn drives down the annuity amount of the games’ jackpots.

The timing of the changes in each game is slightly different, based upon its drawing schedule. (Mega Millions drawings are at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, while Powerball drawings are at 9:59 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.)

In Mega Millions: The jackpot for tonight’s drawing remains at an estimated $121 million annuity, $96.7 million lump-sum option. If the jackpot is won tonight, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million for Tuesday’s drawing (April 7). If there is no jackpot winner tonight, the game’s grand prize will roll to an estimated $127 million annuity for Tuesday. From that point on, the game’s starting jackpot and the rate at which the jackpot increases will be based upon sales and interest rates, with no fixed minimums.

In Powerball: The jackpot for tomorrow night’s drawing remains at an estimated $180 million annuity, $144.8 million lump-sum option. If the jackpot is won tomorrow, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million annuity for Wednesday’s drawing (April 8). If there is no jackpot winner tomorrow, the game’s grand prize will roll to an estimated $190 million annuity for Wednesday. From that point on, the game’s starting jackpot and the rate at which the jackpot increases will be based upon sales and interest rates, with no fixed minimums.

The leadership of the Powerball Product Group and the Mega Millions Consortium, which are made of up the member-lottery directors in each game, will determine the jackpot details for it.

We know that some of our players may have used the “multi-draw” option to purchase plays in upcoming Powerball and Mega Millions drawings. Those plays, of course, are still valid, but are now impacted by the upcoming jackpot changes.

As a goodwill gesture, we’re offering those players free-play coupons for use in future drawings of the game they played. To be eligible for free-play coupons: 

• In Mega Millions, an Iowa Lottery player must have purchased a multi-draw ticket no later than 4 p.m. today (April 3) for a Mega Millions drawing held on April 7 or later. 
• In Powerball, an Iowa Lottery player must have purchased a multi-draw ticket no later than 4 p.m. yesterday (April 2) for a Powerball drawing held on April 8 or later.

Details about the free plays along with the form you’ll need to complete and send to us to request free-play coupons are available here on the lottery's website.

I’ll add in just a quick personal note to close out this blog entry: I know that these Mega Millions and Powerball changes are coming on top of the many, many other changes that we’re all experiencing. Just know that they’re not being made on a whim or at random. They're being made because the games and the prizes they offer are based upon mathematics. And there simply aren’t enough ticket sales occurring to continue the games in their previous format.

We understand that folks have much more important issues on their minds these days than purchasing lotto tickets, and in many instances, they're simply not in a position to buy them at all. Safety is what matters now, and all of us getting through this together.

But in the meantime, changes have to be made on many different fronts, including in these two games.

Changes Coming To Powerball’s Starting Jackpot & Minimum Increases

Changes have been announced today that will impact the Powerball® jackpot after the next time it is won.

What’s behind the decision? The amount of the Powerball jackpot is driven by ticket sales, which have been lagging in the game. Normal consumer behavior has been largely disrupted nationwide by the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. And the Powerball Product Group, like scores of other organizations around the world, is making necessary adjustments.

The changes announced in Powerball will take effect immediately after the next jackpot win in the game. The changes do not impact the jackpot amount for tonight’s drawing, or the jackpot’s growth up until the next time it is won. (The jackpot for tonight’s Powerball drawing is an estimated $150 million annuity, $114.8 million lump-sum option.)

The next time that the Powerball jackpot is won, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million annuity, rather than the game’s usual starting jackpot amount of $40 million. And, rather than growing by at least $10 million in between drawings as currently occurs in the game, the jackpot will grow by at least $2 million between drawings.

It remains to be seen whether this change will be permanent. That decision rests with the directors of the U.S. lotteries that are members of the Powerball Product Group, who will continue to evaluate and monitor sales in the game.

Hello, Guvna! (Hey, I Think We Know That Powerball Winner)

When the front desk here at lottery headquarters called up to my department today to tell us that a big winner was in the lobby, we thought they’d gotten the name wrong. But they hadn’t!

Tom Vilsack, former mayor of Mount Pleasant, state senator, Iowa governor, and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, is now also a big Powerball® winner. He admits he never thought he’d see that title.

Vilsack claimed a $150,000 Powerball prize this morning. He said he occasionally plays when the game’s jackpot really gets up there because he likes to dream, just like everyone else. And he said that if he doesn’t win, he knows that his money goes to help the state through the lottery’s proceeds.

Vilsack, who now lives in Waukee, won his prize in the Powerball drawing on Jan. 22, when the jackpot had grown to an estimated $347 million. But he didn’t check his ticket for several days. He said he got up 10 days later and realized he should check how he did.

He found the ticket in his briefcase and checked his numbers on the Iowa Lottery’s website. He said he was initially glad to see that he’d matched the Powerball on one of his plays. But he quickly realized he ultimately was just one number away from winning that night’s jackpot, matching four of the five white balls and the Powerball.

Vilsack said he remembered that when he bought his easy-pick ticket, the store clerk had asked if he wanted to add the Power Play® option for an extra $1 per play, so he did. That option multiplies most prizes in the game by the Power Play number selected in the drawing. The Power Play number was three the night that Vilsack won his prize.
 
After realizing he’d won, he said he shared the news with his wife, Christie, who didn’t believe him.    

“I said, ‘Geez, honey, actually I won $150,000,’” Vilsack recalled. “She said, ‘No you didn’t!’ I said, ‘No, look at this.’ And I gave her the ticket. She looked at the numbers and she said, ‘Go next door to Jess (the couple’s eldest son) and have him read the numbers and make sure you’re looking at this right.’ I said, ‘I put it in the system here! It’s telling me I won $150,000!’”

Jess ultimately confirmed that his dad had won big – and so did we when he came to the lottery this morning.

Vilsack has specific plans for his winnings.

“The church is going to get a little bit of it, St. Boniface, I’m going to send that check out today,” he said. “And the kids are going to get a little bit because you always try to help your kids out. And then the rest is going to go to my banker. And he’s going to be very pleased to get it. Because we still have an outstanding mortgage from many years ago and this will help pay it down to the point where retirement can be a little bit more comfortable than it might have otherwise been.”

Vilsack bought his winning ticket at Hy-Vee, 1005 E. Hickman Road in Waukee. He had some advice for other lottery players, knowing that he almost forgot to check his ticket.

“Sort of a word to the wise: Check your numbers. It matters,” he said. “There are different ways to win. I didn’t realize that. I honestly didn’t realize you could win by not having all of the numbers. And so people sometimes walk away from some resources and some money when they don’t check their ticket.”

As he claimed his prize, Vilsack also took a moment to reflect on the lottery and why he plays.

“I know that this lottery is really important to the state and it’s certainly important to the state budget,” he said. “It’s something that I certainly understand from my experience as a state senator and as a governor and I think it’s great. And as you say, you don’t win if you don’t play.

“Obviously, the whole issue of gaming has been somewhat controversial in every state,” he said. “But as long as we are providing assistance to those who over-extend themselves, which is unfortunate and tragic, and as long as we use these resources in a way to build our state and make it stronger and better, then I think it’s a good thing.”

The Powerball Jackpot Hasn’t Been At This Level In 10 Months

The Powerball jackpot is back up at a level it hasn’t seen in 10 months.

That’s not a typo. The game’s jackpot hasn’t climbed this high since last March. The jackpot for tonight’s drawing is at an estimated $394 million annuity, $274.6 million lump-sum option.

It hasn’t been at this level since last year, when it kept climbing all the way up to $768.4 million annuity in the drawing on March 27, 2019. It was won that night with a ticket in Wisconsin.
     
What’s the story behind our recent “jackpot drought”? There have been a lot of winners in Powerball and Mega Millions, but as luck would have it, the jackpots in both games have been won in the past handful of months at what some would call a “lower level.” Now, all those prizes were still in the tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars. But if it seems like things have been kind of quiet lately on the jackpot front, that’s because they have.

Mega Millions got some steam going last month when it reached $372 million annuity in the drawing on Dec. 17. It was won that night with a ticket in Ohio.

The Powerball jackpot was last won in the drawing on Nov. 2 by a ticket in California.  The next time it’s hit, it will be the first Powerball jackpot won in 2020.

There will always be peaks and valleys in lottery jackpots, so we’ll all just have to wait and see how high the jackpots climb this time around. Maybe we just got used to all the big jackpots we saw in the past couple years!

Did You Notice? Something Unusual Happened In Powerball

Something pretty unusual has happened twice now in Powerball in just the past two weeks. Did you catch it?

Last night’s $80 million jackpot was won with a ticket in New York, but that’s not what I’m talking about. The unusual thing has to do with the Power Play feature in the game.

The 10X was selected as the Power Play multiplier in last night’s drawing and in the drawing a week earlier, on Aug. 28.

Overall, the 10X has been selected as the Power Play number just four times: once in 2017, once in 2018, and now twice so far in 2019.

When you add the Power Play option to your Powerball ticket, it will multiply any prize you win (except the Match 5 prize and the jackpot) by the number selected as the Power Play multiplier in that night’s drawing. A Powerball ticket costs $2 per play, and you can add the Power Play option for an extra $1 per play. 

When the Powerball drawing occurs, the first five numbers and the Powerball are selected by the iconic ball-drawing equipment we’ve all seen through the years, and there is a separate drawing to determine the Power Play number.   

In last night’s drawing, the Power Play number was 10, so the lucky folks who added the Power Play option to their tickets won 10 times the regular amount of their prize!

Here in Iowa, a total of 1,612 plays won prizes last night that were multiplied by 10X. The biggest of them was at the Match 4 level, meaning that the ticket involved matched four of the first five numbers and missed the Powerball. That ticket initially won a $100 prize, but with the Power Play option added, it won $1,000!

It’s relatively unusual for 10X to be selected as the Power Play multiplier because it’s not always available. When the jackpot for the next Powerball drawing is an estimated $150 million or less, a 10X is added to the pool of numbers that can be selected as the Power Play. When the jackpot in the game is more than $150 million, the 10X feature isn’t available, so the multipliers in the pool are 2X-5X.

With the 10X included, there are 43 numbers in the Power Play pool. Of those numbers, 24 are 2s, 13 are 3s, three are 4s, two are 5s, and one is a 10. Here’s what that looks like in table form:

43 Numbers In Power Play Pool
2X = 24
3X = 13
4X = 3
5X = 2
10X = 1

(When the 10X isn’t included, there are 42 numbers in the Power Play pool, and the breakdown of the rest remains the same.)

So, does it stand to reason that the Power Play number will be 2 more often? Yes. But the other multipliers also have a shot. And sometimes the 10X will come up!

Des Moines-Area Man Claims $2 Million Powerball Prize

A Des Moines-area man is Iowa’s fourth big winner of the year. Robert ‘Rob’ Maser of Urbandale is a regular lotto player. When he realized he’d won a $2 million prize in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, he called to tell his family and friends. Problem was, they didn’t believe him!

Rob called his dad and told him he’d won the lottery and said he was keeping his promise to buy him a boat if he ever won big. His dad called him a liar.

Rob then took photos of his winning-ticket receipt and sent them to his dad, wife and others so they’d know it was real.

He said this win will be going toward retirement. He doesn’t have plans to quit his day job but he does plan to take care of a few things around the house, like new carpet and paint.

Rob bought his winning ticket at Kum & Go, 4585 156th St. in Urbandale, where's he's a regular. He went there to scan his ticket first thing this morning and even the staff there didn’t believe it at first. Once they realized he really did win, they were very happy for him and took a few photos. The Kum & Go store will receive a $2,000 bonus check for selling the $2 million-winning ticket at one of its stores.

He said he always adds the multiplier options to his lotto tickets in case a win just like this came up. He said he would have been disappointed if he’d only won  $1 million knowing it could have been $2 million for an extra buck. He initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. But sine he added the Power Play® option to his purchase, it multiplied his prize to $2 million.

Wednesday’s winning numbers were: 7-17-33-61-68 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 2. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $270 million annuity ($168.9 million lump-sum option) for Saturday. The Urbandale ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in Wednesday’s drawing.

Des Moines-Area Ticket Wins $2 Million Powerball Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket at a Des Moines-area convenience store won a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing.

It’s the fourth prize of at least $1 million won in Iowa so far this year.

The $2 million-winning ticket was purchased at Kum & Go, 4585 156th St. in Urbandale. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $250.3 million Powerball jackpot.
 
The ticket initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. But whoever bought the ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $2 million. The Urbandale ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing.

Last night’s winning numbers were: 7-17-33-61-68 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 2. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $270 million annuity ($168.9 million lump-sum option) for Saturday.
 
Kum & Go will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Prizes of $2 million must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday. If you think you’re the big winner and you have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, please feel free to give us a shout at the lottery at 515-725-7900 or wmaster@ialottery.com.

This latest big win in Iowa comes about a month after the last one. In late April, a Sioux City woman claimed a $1 million prize she’d won in the Mega Millions® game.

Illinois Woman Claims $2 Million Powerball Prize She Won In Burlington

The winner of the $2 million Powerball prize this month in southeast Iowa is an Illinois woman who was in Burlington shopping when she decided to buy a Powerball ticket.

Lisa Hays of Monmouth, Ill., said she plans to buy a house and a new car and get a big jump start on her retirement planning now that she’s claimed her lottery prize.

Lisa said she was shopping when she decided to buy two Powerball plays on one ticket for the Feb. 9 Powerball drawing. She won $12 on the first play by matching just the Powerball, and $2 million on her second play by matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball. She said she realizes that if the numbers from the two plays had been combined differently, she could have won that night’s jackpot.

But she also says that $2 million is great, and she’s been freaking out about her win!

Lisa said she looked up the winning numbers the day after the drawing and initially was happy with a $12 win. Then she noticed what she’d matched on the next line of numbers on her ticket. She said she was having trouble believing her eyes, so she called her mom and had her double-check the results.

Lisa bought her winning Powerball ticket at Hy-Vee, 3140 Agency St. in Burlington. Because she had added the Power Play® option to her purchase, her initial winnings were multiplied. The $4 she initially won for matching just the Powerball was multiplied to $12, while her $1 million prize for matching the first five numbers on a different play was doubled to $2 million.   

Lisa, 49, who works as a teacher, said she buys Powerball tickets when the jackpot really gets up there, and she generally uses the easy-pick option, which lets the lottery terminal determine the numbers printed on her ticket.  

The winning numbers in the Feb. 9 Powerball drawing were: 1-2-3-7-39 and Powerball 25. No one matched all six numbers that night to win the jackpot and the big prize has continued to climb since then, now standing at an estimated $282 million annuity ($171.4 million lump-sum option) for Wednesday.

Hy-Vee will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Earlier this month, a Quad-Cities man claimed a $1 million Mega Millions prize with a ticket he purchased at a central-Iowa convenience store for that game’s Jan. 15 drawing. Danny Lovett, a trucker driver from East Moline, Ill., claimed his $1 million prize on Feb. 4. 

And, another big Powerball prize in central Iowa is still unclaimed 10 months after it was won. That $1 million prize was won with a ticket purchased in Nevada for the Powerball drawing on April 11, 2018. Powerball prizes won in Iowa must be claimed within 365 days of the drawing for which they were won, so the Nevada prize will expire in about two months – at 4 p.m. on April 11 – if it’s not claimed before then.

Burlington Ticket Wins $2 Million Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket at a Burlington supermarket won a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing. It’s Iowa’s second big lottery winner in a month.
 
The $2 million-winning ticket was purchased at Hy-Vee, 3140 Agency St. in Burlington. The lucky ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $223.6 million jackpot.

The ticket initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. But whoever bought the ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $2 million. The Burlington ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in last night’s drawing.
 
Last night’s winning numbers were: 1-2-3-7-39 and Powerball 25. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $242 million annuity ($148.1 million lump-sum option) for Wednesday.

Hy-Vee will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Prizes of $2 million have to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are closed on the weekend, so tomorrow is the first day that the prize can claimed. If you think you have the winning ticket and have questions, please feel free to contact us at the lottery at 515-725-7900 or Wmaster@ialottery.com.

Earlier this month, a Quad-Cities man claimed a $1 million Mega Millions® prize with a ticket he bought at a central-Iowa convenience store for that game’s Jan. 15 drawing. Danny Lovett, a trucker driver from East Moline, Ill., claimed his $1 million prize on Feb. 4.
 
And, another big Powerball prize in central Iowa is still unclaimed 10 months after it was won. That $1 million prize was won with a ticket purchased in Nevada for the Powerball drawing on April 11, 2018. Powerball prizes in Iowa have to be claimed within 365 days of the drawing, so the Nevada prize will expire in about two months – at 4 p.m. on April 11 – if it’s not claimed before then.

2 Powerball Prizes Of $100,000 Won At Stores Less Than 2 Miles Apart

It’s a week where we’ve seen patterns emerge here at the lottery! On Monday, I blogged about two winners who both talked about fake tickets as they claimed their prizes. (Their tickets were real, and they both took home big prizes). Today, a different pattern has jumped out at us: Two big Powerball prizes were won in the past week at central Iowa stores less than 2 miles apart!

Yesterday, Jacob Carpenter of Des Moines claimed a $100,000 prize he won in last Saturday’s Powerball drawing with a ticket he bought at Casey’s, 2070 NW 100th St. in Clive.

And in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, someone who bought a ticket at the QuikTrip at 9915 Douglas Ave. in Urbandale also won a $100,000 prize. That ticket is still unclaimed.

We mapped it out, and the two stores are a little more than a mile apart.

Both tickets initially won $50,000 by matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. But the Power Play option had been added to both tickets and the Power Play number in both drawings was 2, so the $50,000 prizes doubled to $100,000.

Congrats on your big win, Jacob! And we’re excited to meet the winner of the $100,000 prize from Urbandale when that person comes forward!