ALBUQUERQUE – Marjorie McDaniel of Farmington claimed a $1 million Powerball prize from the New Mexico Lottery today. She is the lottery’s ninth millionaire of 2012.
Beating odds of 1 in 5.2 million, McDaniel’s quick-pick ticket for the Nov. 28 drawing matched the winning white ball numbers of 5, 16, 22, 23 and 29. She missed the red Powerball of 6 and a share of the record $587 million jackpot. The jackpot was won by tickets sold in Arizona and Missouri.
Above: Marjorie McDaniel, winner of $1 million Powerball prize
McDaniel, a frequent Powerball player, found the ticket yesterday afternoon among other lottery tickets and coupons scattered on the floorboard of her car. When she took the tickets into a store to have them checked for prizes, the clerk said one of them was a “big winner.”
“The store manager gave me a pen and he said ‘you sign that ticket right now,’” McDaniel recalled for lottery officials in Albuquerque. “He wasn’t going to let me leave until I signed it.”
Later in the day, a family member checked the ticket numbers online and told her the prize was $1 million.
“He said, ‘You’re a millionaire, Marjorie,’” McDaniel said.
The newly minted millionaire said she will spend all of her prize to pay off her mortgage and make investments.
McDaniel bought her lucky ticket at the 7-2-11 Store No. 42, the same retailer that sold a $1 million-winning Powerball ticket to Blanco residents Larry and Cynthia Martinez in January. The store, located at 5697 U.S. Highway 64, has sold 24 large prize-winning lottery tickets ranging between $1,000 and $1 million. For selling the $1 million-winning ticket, 7-2-11 Store No. 42 is eligible for a $2,500 New Mexico Lottery bonus.
McDaniel’s ticket was one of more than 66,000 winning tickets sold in New Mexico for the Nov. 28 drawing. After the drawing, New Mexico Lottery players had won more than $3.4 million.
New Mexico Lottery Millionaires of 2012
Larry and Cynthia Martinez of Blanco won a $1 million Powerball prize in January.
Patrick and Sharon Yazzie of Chinle, Ariz. won a $1 million Powerball prize in March. The couple bought their ticket while shopping in Black Hat near Gallup.
Robert Platt of Albuquerque won a $1.54 million Hot Lotto® jackpot while James Larson, also of Albuquerque, won a $1 million Powerball prize in April.
Danny Garcia of Veguita won a $1 million Mega Millions® prize in June.
Justin Laugherty of Las Cruces won a $1 million Powerball prize in August.
Michael Vigil of Santa Fe won a $1 million Powerball prize in September.
Joe and Lisa Woodruff of Hobbs won a $2 million Powerball prize in November.
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
The sale of New Mexico Lottery games funds Legislative Lottery Scholarships, a college tuition assistance program. Since 1996, the New Mexico Lottery has raised more than $542 million for public education and more than 82,600 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships. More information about the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program is available at www.nmlottery.com.