Louisiana Man Claims $97 Million Powerball Jackpot from January!
After nearly four months of keeping a secret, 73-year-old Carl Hunter of Metairie claimed the $97 million Powerball jackpot from the Jan. 16 drawing at Louisiana Lottery headquarters. His prize was the largest single amount won in the Louisiana Lottery’s history.

The owner of a construction company, Hunter wanted to make sure his outstanding jobs were complete before “closing up shop” to redeem his winning ticket. He said he plans to use his winnings to retire, travel and rebuild a camp he lost during Hurricane Katrina. Hunter was picking up a gallon of milk for his wife when he decided to also purchase one Powerball “quick pick” at West Metairie Shell on West Metairie Avenue in Metairie.

“There was a person in line in front of me and behind me also purchasing tickets for the drawing. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” described Hunter, surprised and humble. Hunter chose the one-time cash payment option, which was $48,478,863.

Garris says she checked the winning numbers on her computer Saturday night after the drawing and was elated to see that she had won. She plans to use the money to set up a retirement fund for herself and her husband, take care of two sets of parents and go on a cruise vacation. Garris purchased her ticket at the Wilco 1819 on Third Street in Ayden. 

Visiting Player Wins $200,000 Powerball Prize
While Zachary James Smith of Castle Rock, Colo. and his wife, Mandy, were in town enjoying the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, they decided to purchase a Louisiana Lottery Powerball ticket.

The trip was made even more memorable when Smith’s ticket matched five of the numbers drawn on April 12 to win $200,000. “It feels great to win,” Smith exclaimed after claiming his prize at the Lottery’s New Orleans office. “I’m a little overwhelmed.”

Smith, age 32, purchased his winning ticket at the French Quarter Festival from the owners of Jefferson Spur, a Lottery retailer located in Jefferson. A long time sponsor of the French Quarter Festival, the Lottery recruits a local retailer to work the festival and sell tickets from its booth.

Oklahoma Lottery Pool Claims $200,000 Powerball Prize!
Employees from Woodward Plumbing & Electric and Dean's Barber Shop from the Woodward area won $200,000 on April 19 playing Powerball. The winning ticket was sold at Hutch's in Woodward.

The winners include Gary Bates, William Smith, Ralph Moore, James Marston, Elton McDonald and John Hazelbaker.

The group has been playing the Lottery since its launch and they play more often when the jackpots are high. They buy their tickets at several locations and use easy pick to select their numbers. The pool plans to continue playing individually as well as a group.

Connecticut Couple Wins $2 Million Cash with Power Play!
Purchasing a $1 Power Play option with their Powerball ticket proved to be a very wise investment for Colleen and Jim Fraccola of Darien, Connecticut. During the month of April, a "10" multiplier number is added to the regular Power Play wheel. One of the normal "5's" is removed. With Power Play normally you multiply your Powerball winnings from 2-5 times, except for the jackpot. At the beginning of each drawing a wheel is spun to select that night’s multiplier. For a limited time during the current “Power Play 10X” promotion, all prizes (except the jackpot) can be multiplied up to 10 times for the same $1 Power Play cost.

Colleen and Jim matched all 5 white ball numbers, which normally pays out $200,000. Because they purchased the Power Play, that $200,000 was multiplied to $2 million as the number "10" came up for that Wednesday, April 16th drawing. Power Play 10X is available through the final drawing of Wednesday, April 30, 2008.

Missouri Woman Wins $800,000 with Power Play!
Raymondville homemaker found out she won $800,000 on her Missouri Powerball ticket for the April 9 drawing. Katherine “Kathy” French, 49, said when she saw the numbers that she picked at random months ago shown on KOLR-10 the night of the drawing, she was speechless.

“I was talking to my son on the phone, and I couldn’t talk,” she said, recalling the moment she discovered her win.French purchased her winning ticket at Barb’s Place in Raymondville. She paid an extra $1 to select the Power Play option on her ticket, and because the Power Play number drawn that night was “4,” she won $800,000 instead of the regular $200,000 for matching all five white-ball numbers. French said she plans to use her prize money to pay off bills and help her family members and friends.“I’ll probably live like I do right now,” she said. “There is nothing I really want – just my family to be happy.”

Louisiana Man Wins $200,000 Power Play Prize!
Austin Martin Sr. of New Orleans claimed a $200,000 prize at the Louisiana Lottery Corporation’s New Orleans office as a result of a winning Powerball ticket from the April 5 drawing. “At first, I was so numb that I had to get my wife to verify the numbers,” Martin chimed. “I just wish I would have played the Power Play.”

Martin’s ticket matched all five white balls drawn but not the red Powerball number to win his prize. He said he plans to use his winnings to finish repairing his house. Martin, age 56, purchased his winning ticket at Fleet Travel Center on Voters Road in Slidell, Louisiana.

Iowa Co-Workers Claim $400,000 Powerball Prize!
A group of co-workers from Maquoketa enjoyed a limousine ride to Des Moines to claim a $400,000 Powerball prize. The group known as The Maquoketa News Lucky 13 won a $400,000 prize in the March 15 Powerball drawing. Because the group purchased the Power Play option, the normal $200,000 prize for matching the five white balls in that night's drawing was multiplied by two for a total prize of $400,000.

“A lot of people said they're glad to know that someone in our area won it,” group member Deb DeVore said as they claimed their prize. “I think all the community was really good to all of us about it. They were happy, really excited.” Word of the group's win had spread quickly, as the co-workers are all employed at Maquoketa Newspapers Inc., which publishes the Maquoketa Sentinel-Press newspaper and handles other commercial printing. The newspaper had printed an article about the group's win before the co-workers claimed their prize.

“We were on the front page of the newspaper right away of course because we print it,” said group member Amy Luskey. “But you hear a lot of people out and about talking about it.” Twelve of the Lucky 13 traveled to Des Moines to claim the prize. Luskey said that four members of the group began buying Powerball tickets together in January 2007 when the jackpot was high, and the group grew in size as they continued to play.

Luskey bought the group's winning ticket at Casey's in Maquoketa. Members of the group talked about plans for their winnings after they received the prize check. Several are planning home improvements, one planned to buy a house, one has purchased a new car and another has her heart set on a zero-turn lawnmower.

Eight West Virginia Co-Workers Claim $276 Million Jackpot!
After three sleepless nights, eight co-workers in the Monongalia County Tax Office have claimed the $139 million cash option from the $276 million Powerball drawing held March 15.  The “Easy Pick” ticket was purchased at Paula's in Westover.   Claiming the prize on behalf of her seven co-workers, Linda Fominko, who will celebrate her 53rd birthday in April, said she had called everyone by 3 AM Sunday morning immediately following the draw.  “I stayed up to watch for the numbers and check our tickets.  By the time I made the calls, I had moved from disbelief to stunned, but everyone else was stuck in disbelief with questions like, ‘Are you sure?  Did you look at it right?  Do you know what you're doing?'”

Fominko said various employees in her office often go together to buy Powerball tickets after the jackpot passes $200 million.  “This time around I bought 40 tickets, 30 at Paula's and the remainder near a grocery store I frequent.” In addition to Fominko, who has worked for the tax office 35 years, the winners include Amanda Pugh, who has worked in the office three years; Paula Pride, a 31-year employee; Andrea Grey, a one-year employee; Jessica Dotson, who worked three years part-time and moved to full time three months ago; Judith Gapen, a 14-year employee; Crystal Magrow, who has worked in the tax office nearly 16 years; and Allecia Priore, a 10-year employee.

Fominko said that among the winners are several who have faced serious family illness; another is caring for a sister who is mentally and physically handicapped.  Opting not to disclose the communities in which each winner lives, Fominko said that excepting one employee from Fairmont , the remainder of the winners lives in Monongalia County. Fominko said they all plan to continue working.  “I guess that could change, but that's what I've heard so far.  As for purchases, we've not had much time to talk. Most everyone is taking care of families.”

North Carolina Man Gets $400,000 Birthday Present!
Keith Chnupa's birthday turned out to be his lucky day. On March 15, the Hillsborough man bought a Powerball ticket for that night's drawing at the Kangaroo Express in Hillsborough. His ticket matched all five white balls. Chnupa had opted for Power Play on his ticket for just an extra $1. The Power Play multiplier for the March 15 Powerball drawing was 2, which increased his $200,000 prize to $400,000.

Chnupa says he didn't even know he had won until he was cleaning his car three days later and ran across the ticket. He checked the numbers on the lottery Web site and found out he had gotten a $400,000 birthday present!