With 2 lottery winners and an NBA team, we're in a lucky state
With 2 lottery winners and an NBA team, we're in a lucky state

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By Tony Thornton
Published: July 4, 2008

On the same night Oklahoma City learned its new NBA franchise would begin moving here within hours, two people won multimillion-dollar prizes in Oklahoma playing the lottery.

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Now that's a hot streak.

A Powerball ticket purchased at a Stripes convenience store in Altus won the $84.9 million grand prize from Wednesday night's drawing, lottery officials said Thursday.

Additionally, a Hot Lotto ticket bought in Henryetta is worth a not-so-shabby $2.1 million consolation prize.

Neither jackpot had been claimed by Thursday afternoon. Jay Finks, the Okahoma lottery's marketing director, said he doubts either winner will show up until at least next week.

"Typically people freak out on the first day,” he said.

The two jackpots for Powerball and Hot Lotto have never been won in the same state on the same night, said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which sponsors the two games.

Oklahoma is among 29 states, plus the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C., involved in Powerball. Twelve states plus Washington, D.C., are part of Hot Lotto.

"There are states that have gone 10 years without winning the Powerball jackpot. And here we've had our third Powerball jackpot winner (since joining the game in January 2006) and our second Hot Lotto winner (in six months),” Finks said.

Based on Oklahoma's sales rates for the two drawings, the odds of people winning the two jackpots in the same state on the same day are 1 in 39,186, Strutt said.

"Lucky state,” Strutt quipped Thursday.

Winner has several options
The Powerball jackpot has a $41.3 million cash equivalent if the winner chooses not to draw the full amount over 30 years. Most winners choose the lump sum. In this case, it would be $29.3 million after a mandatory deduction of 29 percent for federal and state taxes.

The state's share is 4 percent, or $1,172,000 in this case if the winner takes the lump sum.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 147 million. The odds of winning the Hot Lotto jackpot are 1 in 11 million.

Under a new retailer reward system, the store that sold the winning Powerball ticket will get $25,000. The Hot Lotto ticket seller will get $5,000.

Tom Hudson, a Lawton-based official for the Stripes convenience store chain, said lottery sales are certain to increase in the Altus store that sold the winning ticket once word spreads.

Because of Altus' proximity to Texas, the winner may be a Texan or some visitor was just passing through, Hudson surmised.

"But hopefully, with a little luck, we have a new Oklahoma millionaire,” he said.


 

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Unfortunately, you could still write in here from your new digs in Arkansas. We just can't win, can we? <G>
Walter, Edmond - Jul 5, 2008 at 9:42 am
Yep, it sure would be Chris...Oklahoma wouldn't get a red cent out of me if I won. I'd get movers from out of state to move me too.
Cooter, Cooterville - Jul 4, 2008 at 4:15 pm
And it would be well worth the price if you did.
MartzMimic, Oklahoma City - Jul 4, 2008 at 10:09 am
If I was the $84 million winner Oklahoma's lucky streak would end, I'd move out of the state.
Cooter, Cooterville - Jul 4, 2008 at 9:19 am
David, Altus...just thinking! How great it would be if you are the winner of the 84 plus million in Altus. Maybe all those repeatedly asked NewsOK forum questions regarding how one would spend a million was simply "prep" for your receiving such a windfall! I have no reason to believe you play Powerball..but when I read the article, it occurred to me you could be the winner...I hope you are! _____Hey, weren't you planning to share with your NewsOK forum friends..? =) LOL...but how neat that would be if you were the one! Best wishes! In any case...Happy 4th of July!
C, PV - Jul 4, 2008 at 9:16 am
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