Pattern on play slip triggered nationwide windfall as Louisiana ranks third in wins

By Kate Northrop

Lottery winners who struck it big in the Powerball "Night of Millionaires" drawing that awarded nearly one hundred players a second-tier prize of $1 million or more have been lining up to collect their prizes, one after the other.

In what was dubbed the Powerball "Night of Millionaires" by lottery officials, Louisiana was the state that came in third for the greatest number of second-tier prize winners who scooped prizes of $1 million or more.

The April 29 drawing resulted in so many winners because of an observable pattern on many states' Powerball play slips. Of the 89 winners across several states, Louisiana produced 11 second-tier prize winners, following New Jersey's 18 and Indiana's 19.

Earlier this month, Dean Francis of Denham Springs visited Louisiana Lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge to claim one of the $1 million prizes from a ticket he purchased at RaceTrac on Juban Road in Denham Springs. After state and federal taxes, he took home $730,000 — not bad for likely picking numbers in a column.

But other Louisiana winners chose their numbers with the Power Play option, doubling their prize to $2 million when the drawn multiplier that night was 2.

One of those winners, Karla Browning of Baton Rouge, claimed a $2 million prize days after Francis on May 11. She bought her winning ticket at a Circle K on O'Neal Lane in Baton Rouge and collected $1,460,005.84 after taxes.

And on that same afternoon, Lottery officials at headquarters welcomed Kimberly Horton of Shreveport and awarded her a $2 million prize of her own, or $1,460,000 after taxes. She purchased her winning ticket at Raceway on Hearne Avenue in Shreveport.

Just one day later, Jacquelyn Green of Alexandria claimed a $2 million prize from a ticket she bought at Tobacco Plus on North Mall Drive in Alexandria and took home the same amount as Browning.

Prior to those claims, four other winners, including a California resident, claimed their "Night of Millionaires" prizes, two of which were won with tickets bought at the same retailer.

Ranjeet Singh of Fresno, California, was visiting the state when he purchased a ticket for the April 29 Powerball drawing at Circle K #2706829 in Denham Springs. He had to collect his prize in person and visited Lottery headquarters to receive a final take-home of $730,000 after taxes.

The same retailer had also sold a ticket to Richard Boudreau of Denham Springs, who won $2 million in that evening's drawing.

The other two winners announced by the Louisiana Lottery are Antonio Bradford of Shreveport, who won $1 million, and Larry Sheffield of Marrerro, who was the first player to come forward with his winning ticket on May 1.

Players were not the only ones celebrating the night of windfalls. Store owner Ghassan Jabbar, who runs G-Zone on Lapalco Boulevard in Marrero and sold Sheffield his ticket, said that selling it was a "dream come true to aid in getting more traffic to his store."

"I really feel so excited and happy for my customers who won; what a blessing to them and their families," Airport Chevron Owner Khadka Kumar told the Lottery. His retailer, located on Monkhouse Drive in Shreveport, sold a $2 million winning ticket to Bradford.

Retailers received a $10,000 bonus for selling each $1 million winning ticket and a $20,000 bonus for each $2 million winning ticket.

That makes eight total players in Louisiana who have collected their second-tier prizes of $1 million or more, leaving three more mystery winners.

"Congratulations to each of these winners," Lottery President Rose Hudson said in a press release. "Together they represent millions of dollars won right here in Louisiana. We still have three unclaimed winning tickets from this historic drawing, and we urge those holders to sign the backs of their tickets immediately to protect their claim. We can't wait to meet them and celebrate their wins."

Lottery winners in Louisiana have 180 days from the draw date to collect prizes.

The next Powerball annuity jackpot estimate for the drawing on Wednesday, May 27 currently stands at $154 million.

Powerball is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.

Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com).  The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.