2/19/2007 - 10:00 AM

Olla Resident Claims $600,000 Powerball Prize

Alisa Smith, a nursing school student from Olla, claimed a $600,000 "Match-5" prize at the Louisiana Lottery Corporation's headquarters from the Feb. 14 Powerball drawing. Smith purchased the $1 Power Play option on her ticket, which means she won three times the usual $200,000 prize when the Power Play multiplier "3" was selected during the drawing.

"When I went to Texaco to buy my weekly Powerball and Lotto tickets, the owners told me that they had sold a winning Powerball ticket," explained Smith.  "I immediately went home to check my tickets and I couldn't believe that I'd won!"  Smith said she plans to use her winnings to pay her nursing school tuition, buy a new car and take her daughter on a cruise.

Using her daughter's birthday as her numbers, Smith purchased her winning ticket at Texaco Food Mart on Highway 165 in Olla. The store will receive a one-time bonus of $6,000, or one percent of the prize amount.  The winning numbers for the Feb. 14 Powerball drawing were 3-26-30-54-55 and the Powerball number was 15. 

Smith's ticket matched all five white ball numbers drawn but missed the Powerball number to win a prize of $200,000.  She chose the Power Play option and multiplied her winnings by three times for a total of $600,000.  The Power Play option offers Powerball ticket purchasers the chance to multiply their winnings up to five times on all nonjackpot-related prizes for an additional $1 per play.

Players must be at least 21 years of age to purchase a Lottery ticket.  Anyone who has a gambling problem or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem are encouraged to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for help.