A Powerball player in Western Washington whiffed on an estimated $87 million jackpot but still scored big, cashing in a quarter-million dollars off a single ticket from a Gig Harbor grocery store.
The winning slip matched four white balls plus the red Powerball in Saturday's drawing, a combination that normally pays $50,000. Because the player spent an extra buck on the Power Play option, the prize ballooned to $250,000. As of Monday, the jackpot had rolled to roughly $87 million, with an estimated cash value near $39.7 million.
Winning numbers and what they paid
Saturday's national drawing produced the numbers 24, 25, 39, 46 and 61, with Powerball 1, according to the detailed results from the Maryland Lottery. The Power Play multiplier landed at 5x, which boosts non-jackpot prizes and turned the standard $50,000 Match-4-plus-Powerball payout into $250,000.
No ticket matched all five white balls plus the Powerball, so the grand prize rolled over to the next drawing.
Where the ticket was bought
The lucky $250,000 ticket was sold at the Safeway at 4831 Point Fosdick Dr. NW in Gig Harbor, which is roughly a 20-minute drive from Tacoma, according to The News Tribune. The paper reports that a Washington’s Lottery spokesperson confirmed the winning sale at that store.
Lottery officials note that retailers around the South Sound have seen several mid-range wins this season, keeping local check-out lines just a little more hopeful.
How Power Play turned $50K into $250K
Power Play is a $1 add-on that multiplies non-jackpot prizes. On Saturday, the 5x Power Play took the $50,000 Match-4-plus-Powerball payout and cranked it up to $250,000, according to the draw tallies.
A standard Powerball ticket costs $2. Players can also add a Double Play entry for another $1, under state game rules. Washington’s Lottery posts the odds for each prize tier, including the jackpot odds of about 1 in 292,201,338, as a reminder that the game should be treated as entertainment and that players should gamble responsibly.
Next drawing and help for players
The next Powerball drawing was scheduled for Monday at 7:59 p.m., according to The News Tribune. Anyone who thinks they might be holding the $250,000 ticket can check numbers through Washington’s Lottery or bring the slip to a retailer for validation.
If gambling is creating stress or harm, help is available. Call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling for 24/7 confidential resources.
