Someone who bought a Powerball lottery ticket in Boise, Idaho over the weekend has won a $220.3 million jackpot, the 10th-largest jackpot ever awarded by the multistate lottery, officials said yesterday.
But if they want to spend any of it over the holiday weekend, they're going to have to borrow it from their buddies.
"We have not even heard from them, and I'm leaving the office at 4 p.m.," Idaho Lottery spokeswoman Patricia Wellman said late yesterday afternoon. "But based on what he won, he might get a loan."
The ticket was sold at Jacksons Food Store on Orchard Street, a central city neighborhood near the freeway.
It is the same store that sold an $87 million winning ticket about 10 years ago to Boise resident Pam Hiatt. And earlier this week, another winner claimed a 100 thousand dollar prize from a Jacksons in Pocatello.
All these winning tickets are proving to be good publicity for the convenience store chain. "We always like to see our customers win, obviously. It draws in more customers to buy the lottery from us," said district manager Deverie Tye.
Nobody had stepped forward to claim the prize by late yesterday afternoon, and the lottery office will be closed today in observance of Memorial Day, Wellman said.
She said lottery winners usually show up quickly with the winning ticket in hand. But because of the holiday, the winner could be out in the backcountry, sleeping in a tent.
Not only has the winner not come forward, but Simmons says it's hard to tell if that person is even from Idaho. "It could be somebody from Utah, somebody from Oregon."
This weekend's winning ticket of $220 million makes it the largest lottery jackpot ever in Idaho.
There has been a spate of lottery winnings in Idaho recently. In February, 22-year-old Eric Kyle of Boise won $18.7 million in the Powerball. Earlier this month, eight employees at the Wood River Journal in Hailey matched four of five numbers to win a $100,000 prize.
But before the winner steps forward to claim their prize, Simmons has some words of advice. "Get yourself a lawyer, get yourself an accountant, get yourself a good financial adviser."
The winner must decide whether to take the money over 30 payments of $7.4 million a year or cash the winnings out with a lump sum payment of $125.3 million, state lottery officials said in a prepared statement.
The Jacksons store will receive a $50,000 bonus, and the state of Idaho will receive a $10 million windfall.
"The first thing the winner should do is sign the back of the ticket," Lottery Director Roger Simmons said. After putting the ticket in a safe place and calling an attorney, an accountant and a financial adviser, "the winner probably should consider changing their phone number," Simmons said.
Powerball is played in 29 states and territories.
The winning ticket matched all five numbers and the Powerball to win Saturday's drawing. The numbers were: 39-24-05-28-07, with Powerball 36; Power Play 04.
Lottery spokeswoman Sue Dooley said 29 more people matched all five numbers. Those tickets are worth $100,000. For choosing the Power Play option and matching all five numbers, one winner will get $400,000.
Good catch, I had to read it twice. Imagine that, hard enough to win this thing but the same store sells two winners. To anyone's knowledge, has that ever happen before? Not that I am aware, not even in a ten year span. Historical moment perhaps. Does anyone think one place, such as this one could be more lucky than all other stores? I don't know, makes ya think though. cheers,
Good catch, I had to read it twice. Imagine that, hard enough to win this thing but the same store sells two winners. To anyone's knowledge, has that ever happen before? Not that I am aware, not even in a ten year span. Historical moment perhaps. Does anyone think one place, such as this one could be more lucky than all other stores? I don't know, makes ya think though. cheers,
Yes, here in MO there is a place near Kansas City that has a little out of the way convenience store that has produces two multi-millionaires for sure and I won't swear that it hasn't been 3. I'll see if I can find out the name of the place. I was staying up there with friends while attending a workshop and they lived just down the road from this store, they pointed it out but we never stopped. And when I said it was "out of the way" that's what I meant. Is it located on an outer road away from every thing. I'll get back to you all if I find the name of the place...
Yah that's quite amazing. I would not be surprised if Pam had a system that she got lucky with the first time, and used her millions to leverage this win.
Not really. There are stores near borders that are destination stores. They have multiple lottery machines and sell multiple winning tickets. Stores not near borders aren't going to get all that traffic from a neighboring state though.
Ms Hiatt hit Powerball when it was annuity-only. If this ticket holder makes the wrong choice, it would be the largest US lottery prize to not be paid in cash.
Did you see that key sentence — "It is the same store that sold an $87 million winning ticket about 10 years ago to Boise resident Pam Hiatt."
Good catch, I had to read it twice. Imagine that, hard enough to win this thing but the same store sells two winners. To anyone's knowledge, has that ever happen before? Not that I am aware, not even in a ten year span. Historical moment perhaps. Does anyone think one place, such as this one could be more lucky than all other stores? I don't know, makes ya think though. cheers,
Idaho....sounds like the name of Paris Hilton's next movie.
Good catch, I had to read it twice. Imagine that, hard enough to win this thing but the same store sells two winners. To anyone's knowledge, has that ever happen before? Not that I am aware, not even in a ten year span. Historical moment perhaps. Does anyone think one place, such as this one could be more lucky than all other stores? I don't know, makes ya think though. cheers,
Yes, here in MO there is a place near Kansas City that has a little out of the way convenience store that has produces two multi-millionaires for sure and I won't swear that it hasn't been 3. I'll see if I can find out the name of the place. I was staying up there with friends while attending a workshop and they lived just down the road from this store, they pointed it out but we never stopped. And when I said it was "out of the way" that's what I meant. Is it located on an outer road away from every thing. I'll get back to you all if I find the name of the place...
Bryan :)
would that be something if was pam hiatt that won again
Isn't ADVISOR spelt- advisor not adviser?
On forums it's very common to misspell. Trust me you'll do it too. LOL.
Kind of odd since Boise is not near a border. Odds of any store not near a border selling multiple winners has to be very low.
I think the odds of selling multiple jackpots anywhere, at any store, over any period of time has to be incredibly low. Don't ya think?
Yah that's quite amazing. I would not be surprised if Pam had a system that she got lucky with the first time, and used her millions to leverage this win.
NOW that would be amazing. She would be the most sought after human on the face of the planet.
Not really. There are stores near borders that are destination stores. They have multiple lottery machines and sell multiple winning tickets. Stores not near borders aren't going to get all that traffic from a neighboring state though.
Ms Hiatt hit Powerball when it was annuity-only. If this ticket holder makes the wrong choice, it would be the largest US lottery prize to not be paid in cash.
I am just wondering if this ticket was a quick pick or was there a method to great success... =)