PDF of news release

DATE: October 19, 2009
CONTACT: Karie Lowe (785) 296-5744, karie.lowe@kslottery.net

Olathe Couple Claims $200,000 Powerball Prize!

TOPEKA, KAN. – An Olathe couple, who wishes to remain anonymous, has claimed a $200,000 Powerball prize by matching the first five numbers in the October 14 drawing. The couple, who purchased a $5 ticket, picked their own numbers.

“We’ve been playing the same set of numbers for eight months now,” said the winner. “We almost didn’t use our own numbers for that drawing, because I had bought a Quick Pick ticket earlier in the day. About 10 minutes before the Powerball drawing, we decided we’d better use our own numbers too, so I ran down to the store and bought more tickets.”

The next day, the winners went to a local Kansas Lottery retailer and had their tickets checked.

“I scanned the Quick Pick ticket first,” the winner explained. “The reader showed we’d won $4. When I scanned the other ticket the machine read, ‘Claim at Lottery. Sign back of ticket.’ I didn’t know what that meant, so we asked the store clerk to check our ticket for us. Once she scanned our ticket, she told us what we’d won. I couldn’t believe it.”

To make sure there was no mistake, the Olathe couple looked up the winning numbers on the Kansas Lottery’s website.

“It’s still hard to believe we’ve won,” said the winner. “Our kids are very excited. They each hope to get an iPod Touch. We currently live in an apartment, but now we can afford to buy a house.”

The only regret the winners have is not playing the Power Play option.

“From now on, we’re always going to play the Power Play option,” the winner said. “If we would have this last time, we would have won $1 million. Don’t get me wrong, we’re very happy with winning $200,000.”

The winning ticket was purchased at One Stop Discount Smoke Shop, located at 12885 S. Mur Len in Olathe.

For more information on games, promotions, winning numbers, and unclaimed prizes, or to join the free Kansas Lottery Players Club, visit www.kslottery.com.