DATE: June 4, 2008
CONTACT: Sally Lunsford (785) 296-5708, sally.lunsford@kslottery.net

Pittsburg Man Claims $5.26 Million Hot Lotto Jackpot

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Pittsburg resident is the newest Kansas Lottery millionaire! The winner, who asked the Lottery not to identify him publicly, came to Lottery headquarters today to claim a $5.26 million jackpot in the Saturday, May 31 Hot Lotto drawing. His ticket matched all numbers in the May 31 Hot Lotto drawing. The numbers were 27-31-35-36-38 Hot Ball 10.

“I always buy Quick Pick tickets when I play Hot Lotto,” explained the winner. “I play twice a week and purchase a minimum of $20 each time. The most I’ve won before now was $100, twice.”

As the winner of the Hot Lotto jackpot, he had a choice – take the grand prize as an annuity paid over 24 years (25 payments), or take a cash lump sum payment. The winner took the lump sum payment, which is $3.2 million, minus 25 percent federal taxes and 5 percent state taxes, for a total of $2.24 million.

The winner, who is a business owner, plans to continue working.

“I’ve worked hard all my life,” the winner said. “I wouldn’t know what to do if I wasn’t busy.”

However, the Pittsburg resident does plan to enjoy his winnings.

“I plan to take my kids and grandkids on vacation,” said the winner. “We’re thinking about a cruise.”

The store that sold the jackpot-winning Hot Lotto ticket is Frontenac’rs, located at 325 E. McKay in Frontenac. For selling the jackpot ticket, the retailer is eligible for a $2,500 selling bonus.

Hot Lotto is played in 13 lottery jurisdictions: District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Kansas began offering Hot Lotto in March 2006. The last time a Hot Lotto jackpot was hit in Kansas was July 4, 2007, when Lori Boyle of Independence, Kan. won $12.9 million.

To play Hot Lotto, a player picks five numbers from 1-39 and one “hot ball” number from 1-19. Players may also let the computer pick the numbers, which is called a Quick Pick. Hot Lotto drawings are held each Wednesday and Saturday. Plays are $1 each. For an additional $1 per play, a player can purchase the Sizzler option, which triples all prizes except for the jackpot. Hot Lotto jackpots start at $1 million, and increase by a minimum of $50,000 per drawing.