By simply spending one more buck, Los Alamos resident Regino Gonzales
multiplied his recent $200,000
Powerball ® prize into a $400,000 windfall.
For the March 8 drawing, Gonzales purchased five “quick pick” plays. He also
spent an additional $1 on each wager for the Power Play ® feature. Power Play
multiplies non-jackpot prizes two, three, four or five times, depending on the Power
Play number drawn.
After the drawing, Gonzales discovered that his ticket’s numbers - 17, 29, 31, 34
and 49 – matched the five white balls drawn for a $200,000 prize. Gonzales
and wife Deborah immediately called their daughter, Wendi, to share the exciting
news. Wendi - slightly more composed than her parents - asked about the “multiplier.”
Suddenly, Gonzales realized that his $200,000 ticket was worth twice as much, thanks
to Power Play.
“Winning is so much better when (the prize) is multiplied,” Gonzales said.
The self-employed businessman said part of his prize would go toward a green 1955
Chevy Nomad. He also plans to give a cash gift to his daughter’s family and
make investments.
“Wendi told us that at times like this, she’s glad she’s an only child,” Gonzales
quipped.
The winning ticket was purchased at Quik Stop No. 2 located at 11 Rover Blvd. in
White Rock. This lottery retailer has sold 13 other large prize-winning tickets
ranging between $1,000 and $250,000.
Power Play 10X Promotion
During April, Powerball players who purchase the Power Play feature will have a
chance to multiply their prizes by 10 in a month-long “Power Play 10X” promotion
kicking off with the March 30 drawing. A $200,000 second-prize ticket could
be multiplied into $2 million. The promotion will continue past April 30 if
the multiplier of 10 is not drawn during the month.
$344 Million Raised for Education
Since its inception in 1996, the lottery has raised $344 million for public education
in New Mexico and more than 48,000 students have attended college on Legislative
Lottery Scholarships. As of the Spring 2007 semester, more than 840 high school
graduates from Los Alamos County have received $4.2 million in scholarships.
