Good News: Powerball Headed To California, Bad News: Not Tonight
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Maybe you got caught up in Powerball fever.
But if you live in California, you had to drive to Arizona for a ticket. And hundreds, maybe more, did just that.
Tonight's Powerball jackpot reached $579 million -- the second biggest jackpot in US gaming history. (For the record, the winning numbers are 5, 16, 22, 23, 29 and the Powerball is 6. Two winning tickets were sold in Missouri and Arizona.)
Juan Fernandez, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, says that Powerball could be coming to California by April of next year.
He reported that final regulations are being hammered out with the multi-state Lottery Association. If all goes according to plan, California should give the okay to Powerball at tomorrow's commission meeting in Sacramento.
California officials believe adding Powerball sales will add an additional $90-120 million in revenue to the state.
Powerball, a $2-a-chance game, is currently played in 42 other states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands. (By comparison, Mega Millions -- $1-- is played in California, 4o other states and the Virgin Islands. SuperLotto, also $1, is played only in California. Super Lotto's highest-ever jackpot stood at $193 million.)
The biggest jackpot ever was a $656 million Mega Millions draw in March 2012. Winning tickets were sold in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland.
Fernandez went to Blue Bird Liquors, a Hawthorne store known for selling more than its share of lucky tickets. He spoke to many Mega Millions and SuperLotto fans who could not wait to play Powerball ... excited that they no longer have to drive to Arizona to get tickets.
Said lottery fan Gwen Lay, "Powerball is going to be the bomb!"
