One ticket wins massive $232M Powerball lottery jackpot

May 28, 2009, 7:59 am (41 comments)

Powerball

Update 1: May 28, 2009, 10:51 a.m.
Update 2: May 28, 2009, 11:22 a.m.

Someone is South Dakota has the one winning ticket in Wednesday night's $232.1 million Powerball jackpot.

The prize, originally estimated at $222 million, came in higher than expected due to heavy sales around the country.

Wednesday's winning Powerball numbers were 5, 6, 12, 16 and 21. The Powerball was 7 and the Power Play multiplier was 3.

"This is an absolute thrill," said Norm Lingle, executive director of the Lottery. "It's the ninth largest Powerball jackpot ever won."

Lingle advised that the winner should sign the back of the ticket immediately, put it in a safe place, and contact the Lottery at 605-773-5770 when the winner is ready to make arrangements to validate the ticket and claim the prize.

"The best advice we can give the winner is to take their time and get professional advice from an attorney and a financial advisor before claiming the prize," Lingle said.

The jackpot winner has 180 days to claim the jackpot, and will have the option of receiving the $232,100,000 jackpot in 30 graduated payments as a 29-year annuity or taking a one-time cash payment of $118,005,530. The winner will have 60 days to make that decision after the ticket is validated.

The ticket holder must present the ticket to the state lottery office in Pierre to be validated. Lingle said there is a multiple-step verification process to determine that the ticket presented is the actual winning ticket. "It isn't until we have completed the validation process that we will officially declare the winner," he said.

This is the third time the Powerball jackpot has been won in South Dakota since the Lottery began selling the game in April, 1992. "The Watertown 34" won $50.9 million on February 1, 2003, splitting a jackpot with a winner in Indiana (flashback – related story). Bill and Tina Nguyen of Pierre won a $116.8 million jackpot on May 17, 2006 (flashback).

Powerball is played in 30 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1:195,249,054.

In addition to the jackpot prize, 16 players came close to winning the big money, by matching five of the six winning numbers for a second-prize win of $200,000 dollars.  They were sold in the following states:  1 from Arizona, 1 from Colorado, 2 from Connecticut, 3 from Florida, 1 from Indiana, 1 from Kentucky, 1 from Minnesota, 1 from North Carolina, 3 from Pennsylvania, 1 from South Carolina, and 1 from Wisconsin.

Four of those second-prize winners will be taking home a $1 million prize because they purchased the Power Play option with their Powerball ticket.  They include the ticket sold in Arizona, both tickets sold in Connecticut, and the ticket sold in Kentucky.

In addition, 160 tickets matched the third prize for a $10,000 prize.  29 of those third-prize tickets were purchased with Power Play for a prize of $30,000.  Third prize is won by matching four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball.

The Powerball jackpot goes to an estimated $20 million for Saturday.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

The Florida web site must be wrong.  It says that 1 player won in Florida and 1 player won in South Dakota.  Just went back and checked it again and it says in big red letters "1 Florida winner."  It even shows someone got all 5 balls and the PB when I checked the breakdown of winners.

Well, your site is always more reliable.  So I guess only 1 person hit it last night.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

I think it is refering to the 5+0 winner in FL, below the red letters it says jackpot winner in SD.

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

I disagree. Look at the breakdown.   I've been watching this site for years, PB since Jan.   It NEVER says there was 1 Florida Winner or has red letters and there have been several 5+0 winners in FL. 

Anyway, what you are saying would not make sense rcbbuckeye, since 3 people got the 5+0, no PP.

I know I'm tired, but anyone who glanced at the FL site and did not check PB or LP would think that someone in FL and SD won.   If they fix it, other members here will think I'm crazy, but they clearly show that someone in Florida hit the PB and then they show 3 people won $200,000. 

I agree with you that they meant to show someone won in SD, but that has nothing to do with

"1 FLORIDA WINNER"


Site just went down, so I bet they're going to change it.  Since I didn't win anything, it really doesn't matter. Smiley

duckman's avatarduckman

Yes, the Florida Lottery website did indeed say there was 1 Powerball Jackpot (5 of 5 + PB) winner in Florida (in addition to the one in SD). As of 10AM this morning (Thursday), the Florida site is down, so it will be interesting to see what it says when it comes back up. The official Powerball site says only one winner in SD. There's a mistake somewhere...

GamerMom's avatarGamerMom

I got the PB + 1 number...w00t!! lol

LouieTheCat

According to the Rapid City (S.D.) newspaper, the winning ticket was sold in the town of Winner.  A town named WINNER?  I bet they sell a lot of tickets there.

GamerMom's avatarGamerMom

Quote: Originally posted by LouieTheCat on May 28, 2009

According to the Rapid City (S.D.) newspaper, the winning ticket was sold in the town of Winner.  A town named WINNER?  I bet they sell a lot of tickets there.

wow what are the odds? That's awesome.

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

Quote: Originally posted by GamerMom on May 28, 2009

I got the PB + 1 number...w00t!! lol

I wish it were true, GamerMom. 

In fact, if I won PB, I'd give away everything and start all over again (which I'm sort of doing anyway) but I wouldn't care about stuffing things into my car.  I'd just pack a couple of suitcases and take off! I can't imagine having that kind of money.  I would never want to own a huge mansion or drive an expensive car, but that's just the way I am.   As long as I can get away from noise and crazy neighbors, I'll be happy!  LOL

Bradly_60's avatarBradly_60

It is very ironic that the Powerball winner is from Winner, SD...haha

Brad

GamerMom's avatarGamerMom

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on May 28, 2009

I wish it were true, GamerMom. 

In fact, if I won PB, I'd give away everything and start all over again (which I'm sort of doing anyway) but I wouldn't care about stuffing things into my car.  I'd just pack a couple of suitcases and take off! I can't imagine having that kind of money.  I would never want to own a huge mansion or drive an expensive car, but that's just the way I am.   As long as I can get away from noise and crazy neighbors, I'll be happy!  LOL

What? but it is true, I matched the red powerball of 07 and the white ball of 12.  I won $4 ...woo hoo LOL

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

Quote: Originally posted by Bradly_60 on May 28, 2009

It is very ironic that the Powerball winner is from Winner, SD...haha

Brad

I just noticed that!  How funny!  LOL 

 

Well, as I wrote in my first post, the FL site had to be wrong, since LP usually (always) posts the correct information, which is why it's a good idea to check your numbers here.

dr65's avatardr65

Didn't match anything.

Bum numbers.

Thumbs Down

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