LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Billie Mooney of Waldo recently claimed a $100,000 Powerball® prize at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) Claim Center in Little Rock.
The winning Quick Pick ticket was sold at E-Z Mart #4210, 206 W. McKissack in Waldo, for the Oct. 4 drawing. The winning numbers were white balls 9, 35, 54, 63 and 64, with the Powerball being 1. The multiplier was two. Mooney matched four white balls and the Powerball number. She increased her $50,000 prize to $100,000 by including the $1 Power Play® feature.
The Arkansas lottery player was unaware she had a winning ticket until she visited the E-Z Mart the following morning after the drawing.
“I go in to get my morning drink, and the two cashiers are just excited, hopping up and down,” she said. “One lady has the winning numbers in her hand, and the other says, ‘Miss Billie, have you checked your numbers yet? Someone from our store has won!’”
Mooney still didn’t believe she was the $100,000 Powerball winner but handed them the ticket to confirm. She was shocked when the lottery terminal played a special chime followed by a voice saying she was a winner.
The Arkansan regularly plays the lottery and first told her daughter about the win. She looks forward to the financial security that the lottery prize will provide her and her family.
A Powerball ticket worth $50,000 was also sold at Bears Den, 1895 E. Oak in Conway, for Saturday night’s drawing. The winner has yet to claim their prize. The Powerball jackpot has soared to an estimated $1.55 billion for tonight.
"The jackpot ranks as the third-largest in the Powerball game and fourth-largest among U.S. lottery jackpots," said Eric Hagler, ASL executive director. "This is also the first time in Powerball history that back-to-back jackpot cycles have generated billion-dollar grand prizes.”
The Powerball jackpot was previously won on July 19 for $1.08 billion. Since then, there have been 34 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner.
Jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or a lump sum payment estimated at $678.9 million. Both prize options are before taxes.
Powerball tickets are $2 per play and can be purchased at any lottery retailer or on the Jackpocket app. Both winning and non-winning tickets are eligible to enter in The Club for Points for Prizes®.