Powerball Jackpot Swells To $400 Million
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — It was a lucky night Saturday evening for a SuperLotto winner in Lake Elsinore. He or she won a $7 million jackpot.
It was a great night, too, for a lottery player in Burbank. He or she had five of the six winning numbers in Saturday's Powerball jackpot.
This ticket holder had the winning numbers 5, 6, 15, 29 and 42. That ticket holder -- who purchased their ticket at the 7-Eleven located at 1611 Olive Avenue -- will pocket a cool $424,422 (before taxes.)
Because that ticket didn't match all six numbers (they failed to have the Powerball number 10) and no other number matched all six around the country, the jackpot for this coming Wednesday has swelled to $400 million.
KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo went in search Wednesday for people who had champagne wishes and caviar dreams. And she didn't have to look hard to find them.
She went, of course, to "lucky" Bluebird Liquors in Hawthorne, a location where more than a few people have become rich.
"I'll be winning tonight," said one woman standing in line.
So many people showed up at Bluebird, Fajardo said three cashiers were at the registers just to help out.
People standing in the line argued, jokingly of course, of who was holding the winner. Apparently, none of them did. But there is always Wednesday.
Lottery officials said the Wednesday draw will be at least $400 million. When lottery frenzy hits, and it hits any time jackpots climb to $100 million or more -- the total jackpot has a chance to get even bigger depending on how brisk ticket sales are around the nation.
At the Bluebird, sellers rub the bluebird for good luck, cross themselves, even kiss the numbers.
Debbie Grant told Fajardo she didn't need the entire jackpot.
"I don't want all of it, but half of it would do me pretty good," she quipped.
She has big plans for the cash that don't include buying luxury items.
"Pay off all my bills," she said, "and pay my Uncle Sam."
Her uncle would definitely want to get paid. The lump sum payment after the lottery takes their cut, about $205 million.
Even with taxes taken out, Zekeya Henry said she would still have enough for her dream.
She would need 4-5 bedrooms and have a pool.
"And I have to have enough room for my mom," she said. (Editorial Note: Awwwwww.)
Fajardo discussed what a single winner could consider buying. There was the 10-bedroom, 14-bathroom $60 million mansion in Malibu (indoor pool of course with jaw-dropping views.) There is also the diamond-encrusted iPhone for a mere $7 and a half million. Not sure if AppleCare is included.
One pragmatic ticket buyer explained that a dream sometimes becomes reality.
"If you don't play, you're guaranteed you will not win," he said.
Draws for the $2 game are Wednesdays and Saturdays. Powerball starts at $40 million and climbs every time there is no winner. The game is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The record jackpot reached $590 million in May 2013.