IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         CONTACT: David Workman

January 24, 2006                                                                                                      (208) 334-2600

 

MYSTERY POWERBALL WINNER COMES FORWARD, CLAIMS PRIZE

 

Boise – Last week’s mystery $200,000 Powerball winner finally came forward to claim her prize. Linda Diana, a Senior Manager for Federal Express shipping said she didn’t realize she actually had the large winning ticket from last Wednesday’s $87 million Powerball draw.

 

“I bought the tickets on Wednesday and then was really busy the next couple of days at work, so I never even thought to check them,” said the ten year Boise resident.

 

“I got home late from work and was planning to take my dog for a walk when I saw the tickets sitting on the counter,” she explained. Diana, 49, tore off the section of the Idaho Statesman that reported the winning numbers and checked her tickets. “I started going across, checking the paper, then my ticket, back and forth,” she described. “Wow, I just missed it by one,” Diana exclaimed to her miniature schnauzer Zachary. “Okay, well, come on boy, let’s go for a walk.”

 

Unconvinced of her winnings, Diana waited yet another day to check the numbers on the Idaho Lottery’s website. “The paper might be wrong, so I wasn’t sure,” she continued to clarify. “But when I saw the same numbers again…” she said with a wide smile, realizing her big win.

 

Idaho Lottery Officials were pleased that Diana came forward.  Two $200,000 prizes remain unclaimed from draws held last autumn. One ticket was sold at Glady’s Place in Bear Lake for the September 13, 2005 draw and the other was sold at Jackson’s Food Store on Federal Way in Boise for the October 5, 2005 draw. Winners have 180 days to claim their winnings or the prize amounts revert to lottery funds and become part of the annual dividend.

 

“It’s a nice chunk of change and a wonderful surprise,” said Diana of her winnings, “but I can’t retire on it. I have no clue what I’ll do with it.” Upon reflection she said, “I think I’ll go flip out the bank teller, no passing “go”, just go straight to the bank.”

 

The Powerball jackpot for this Wednesday’s draw is $115 million. The Idaho Lottery: Benefiting Idaho public schools and buildings. Please play responsibly.

 

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