ALBUQUERQUE –The Powerball® jackpot is now $800 million, by far the largest jackpot in U.S. history. The previous record was held by Mega Millions® and was $656 million.
One lucky New Mexico Lottery player won $2 million in the January 6 draw. Their lucky ticket, purchased in Loving, NM, matched five white balls of 2, 11, 47, 62 and 63. It was purchased with the $1 add-on “Power Play®” that doubled the ticket’s $1 million prize to $2 million. The winner has not yet come forward.
Another lucky player won $85,000 in New Mexico Lottery’s Roadrunner Cash™ January 6 draw. Carl Duimstra of Albuquerque claimed his prize on Thursday morning at Lottery headquarters.
Carl made a special trip to Giant Station #6069 at Paradise and Universe in Albuquerque last Wednesday, Jan. 6, to buy ginger ale for his wife. He decided to buy a Lotto Combo® ticket while he was there. Lotto Combo is a $5 purchase that generates one Quick Pick play for Powerball, Mega Millions, Hot Lotto® and Roadrunner Cash on one ticket.
The next morning, Carl checked his ticket from his phone. He was thrilled to find he had won an $85,000 Roadrunner Cash jackpot. He immediately called his wife.
Carl is the first Roadrunner Cash jackpot winner of 2016. Last year, nine players won prizes of $100,000 or more playing Roadrunner Cash.
This is not the first time Carl has won a large New Mexico Lottery prize. About 12 years ago, Carl and his coworkers from Melloy Dodge won $100,000 playing Powerball. Back then, the prize for matching five white balls was $100,000. Currently it is $1 million. Once divided among the pool he took home $6,000 which he used to make a down payment on a house. This time, he plans to buy a new car.
The $100,000 prize level is not the only prize level to have been increased.
Jesus and Suheila Baeza of Hobbs visited Lottery headquarters yesterday to claim their $50,000 Powerball prize. They matched four white balls in the January 2 draw. Prior to October 4, 2015, that prize was $10,000. The prize is now $50,000.
They picked their own numbers and purchased their ticket at Roadrunner #3 at 2208 N. Turner St, in Hobbs, NM.
Please Play Responsibly
New Mexico Lottery CEO David Barden says, “Have fun, but remember to play responsibly. Familiarize yourself with player safeguards: sign your ticket, check your numbers, and listen for the winner tune when you have your ticket checked. New Mexico Lottery tickets expire 90 days from the date of the drawing.”
Players in New Mexico have until 8 p.m. MT Saturday to buy a ticket for the next drawing, which takes place at approximately 8:59 p.m. MT.
How to Play Powerball
Powerball is played in 47 lotteries. The game was last updated in October 2015 with changes aimed at delivering big jackpots while increasing other significant prizes in the game. Players choose five numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26. Players can also ask for a “quick pick,” a set of numbers chosen randomly by the lottery’s gaming system. Each wager costs $2.
In addition to the jackpot, there are eight prize levels from $4 to $1 million. The game’s Power Play option multiples non-jackpot prizes and will double the $1 million prize to $2 million automatically. Power Play costs an additional $1 per play per drawing.
The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are approximately 1 in 292 million. The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize are approximately 1 in 25.
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
The New Mexico Lottery has raised $670.5 million for education in New Mexico. More than 100,000 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships. More information about Legislative Lottery Scholarships is available at www.nmlottery.com.