ALBUQUERQUE – Top-tier winners from Friday’s historic Mega Millions drawing began claiming their prizes today at the New Mexico Lottery.
Raechel Halwood of Fruitland won a $250,000 prize by matching the winning white ball numbers of 2, 4, 23, 38 and 46. Halwood, 28, missed winning a share of the world’s record $656 million jackpot by not having the Mega Ball of 23 on her quick-pick ticket. The first-time Mega Millions player discovered her good fortune Friday.
Above: pictured is Raechel Halwood, winner of the Mega Millions $250,000 prize
“I felt a little queasy,” Halwood said. “It felt unreal.”
After she takes a family vacation to California to see the ocean, Halwood plans to invest her prize.
Halwood bought her winning ticket at the 7-2-11 Store No. 16 located at 800 W. Main St. in Farmington.
Four prizes of $10,000 from Friday’s drawing were also claimed today.
One $10,000 prize went to Albuquerque firefighters Steven Keffer, Clinton Anderson, Jedediah Hyland, Paul McClure and Sitien Do from Station No. 8. The men plan to share their prize with colleague Vincent Cordova, 24, who is being treated for a brain tumor in California.
Above: pictured are Albuquerque firefighters Steven Keffer, Clinton Anderson, Jedediah Hyland, Paul McClure and Sitien Do from Station No. 8., winners of the Mega Millions $10,000 prize
“We’re always thinking of Vince and praying for him every step of the way,” said Sitien Do.
Jed Hyland discovered the prize Saturday after the crew returned from fighting a fire.
“Being the calm, collected professional emergency responder that I am, I took the ticket in one hand and went screaming down the hallway to tell everybody we had hit five of six numbers,” Hyland joked for lottery officials in Albuquerque today.
The other $10,000 winners are:
- William and Martha Johnson of Albuquerque; the Johnsons said they plan to use their prize to buy a year of golf games on New Mexico courses and make home improvements.
- Jacqueline Padilla of Rio Rancho; Padilla said she plans to share her prize with her children.
- Janelle Reed of Farmington; Reed said she plans to make home improvements and accompany her 12-year-old daughter to a Washington, D.C. youth leadership conference.
The winners of the $10,000 prizes also missed landing a share of the $656 million jackpot by one number. They hit the Mega Ball of 23, but missed one of the five numbered white balls. They all played quick picks.
In Friday’s drawing, more than 87,000 tickets sold in New Mexico won prizes totaling $733,722.
Also claiming prizes today were Freddie Brinquis of Albuquerque who won $10,000 in the March 27 Mega Millions drawing and Maureen Quinn of Rio Rancho who won $30,000 in the Feb. 22 Hot Lotto drawing.
In Saturday’s Powerball drawing, a ticket sold in New Mexico matched all five white balls for a $1 million prize. The ticket holder has not yet come forward.
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
All profits from the sale of New Mexico Lottery games fund an in-state college tuition assistance program. Since 1996, the New Mexico Lottery has raised $514 million for education and more than 75,300 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships. More information about Legislative Lottery Scholarships is available at www.nmlottery.com.