PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwire - Mar 20, 2013) - The Arizona Lottery announces its two most recent millionaires, who both came forward this week to claim their respective $1 million Powerball second prizes.
The first winner, a Maricopa woman who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased her ticket for the Powerball draw on January 26 at the Fry's Food Store located at 20797 N. John Wayne Parkway in Maricopa. She is a nurse practitioner whose husband recently passed away. As she was going through his papers, she discovered an old Powerball play slip and decided to play his numbers.
While at the same Fry's Food Store buying groceries, the winner checked her ticket. Since the clerk knew that the $1 million Powerball prize hadn't been redeemed yet, she called the manager saying, "She's here!" The winner, clerk and manager all started crying when they realized she held the winning ticket. "It was a shock finding out I'd won," the winner said. "I believe that my husband won the million for me."
The second winner, General Marsh, is a retired man who spends his winters in Arizona. He purchased two tickets for the March 16 Powerball draw at the Circle K located at 1605 E. Bell Rd. in Phoenix. Marsh randomly chose six numbers for each of the tickets he purchased and put the tickets away until Sunday when he had time to read the paper. His wife did not believe him when he told her that he'd won $1 million. He countered with "Believe it." This went on three to four times, until it finally registered that he wasn't kidding.
That evening, the couple went to a small dinner party, where he told several of his good friends the news. Two of his friends accompanied him to the Arizona Lottery office to redeem his ticket, since he promised to take them out to lunch.
"Hearing the two stories of Arizona's newest millionaires was incredibly heart-warming," said Karen Bach, director of budget, products, and communications for the Arizona Lottery. "Arizona has seen a substantial increase in the number of new millionaires statewide since $2 Powerball launched and we only expect that trend to continue."
There have been a total of 20 $1 million Powerball second prize winning tickets sold in Arizona since $2 Powerball launched in January 2012. Nationally, the new Powerball game has passed a significant milestone, creating more than 500 millionaires at the game's second prize level.
Along with generating more millionaires, the recent Powerball enhancements also have resulted in an increased number of winners overall. Players are winning more money more often, due to the improved overall odds of the game and the increase in ticket sales. In fact, there have been more than 53,000 Powerball winners in Arizona during the last week alone.
The increase in Powerball sales and wins in Arizona also means more money being returned to important state programs. Arizona Lottery dollars are allocated to fund a wide variety of public projects and programs throughout Arizona that fall under four main pillars: education, health & public welfare, economic & business development and the environment.
The next Powerball draw is Wednesday, March 20 for an estimated $260 million jackpot. Tickets can be purchased at any Arizona Lottery retailer.
Arizona Lottery players must be 21 years or older to purchase or redeem tickets. Overall odds vary by game. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, these materials may be made available in an alternate format. Gambling problem? 1.800. NEXT STEP. Please Play Responsibly™.
About the Arizona Lottery
The Arizona Lottery operates entirely from the revenue it generates through the sale of its products; it receives no General Fund dollars from the State. Proceeds from sales of Lottery tickets -- over $3 million per week -- fund a variety of state programs. Since July 1981, the Arizona Lottery has paid out more than $5 billion in prizes to players, over $2.8 billion in net profit to the state and almost $591 million in commissions to retailers.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Jennifer Adler
E.B. Lane
(602) 417-1594