A Northern California Powerball ticket sold in Brentwood came agonizingly close to a life-changing jackpot in yesterday's drawing, matching four white balls plus the Powerball for a $36,646 payout. The ticket missed the advertised $59 million grand prize by a single number but still landed among tens of thousands of California winners in the midweek draw.
Winning numbers and how close it was
The winning numbers were 3, 6, 55, 58, and 63, with a Powerball of 12 and a Power Play of 2, according to the Associated Press. With no ticket matching all six numbers, yesterday's jackpot held at about $59 million, and the drawing still produced winners at multiple prize levels across the country.
Where the lucky ticket was sold
Lottery officials told The Sacramento Bee that the California winner bought the ticket at the Arco AM/PM convenience store at 2250 Balfour Road in Brentwood. The California Lottery's draw page confirms that one ticket in the state matched four numbers plus the Powerball and reports 35,520 winning tickets overall in California for the March 11 draw, with that prize tier paying $36,646 under the state's pari-mutuel payout rules, per the California Lottery.
Million dollar hits in other states
State breakdowns show that two tickets, one sold in Illinois and one in Missouri, matched all five white balls and were each worth $1,000,000 in yesterday's drawing, according to Powerball.net. That site also lists more than 328,000 total winners nationwide for the draw and pegs the next jackpot at about $75 million, with a cash option of roughly $34.6 million for the upcoming Saturday drawing.
Claiming the prize and the local impact
In California, prizes up to $599 can be claimed at participating retailers, while larger prizes require a claim form and processing through California Lottery offices, the agency explains on its draw and claims pages. Players are advised to sign the back of any winning ticket and use the Lottery's mobile app or in-store checkers to confirm winnings, per the California Lottery. The Lottery notes that ticket sales help fund public education throughout the state, so even non-winning plays kick a little money back into local schools.
