America's favorite lottery game is on a roll.

John Simpson won the second prize in the "$150 Million Prize Payout Bonanza" scratch-off lottery game on Wednesday, according to a spokeswoman for the state Lottery Division. She said Simpson bought the ticket at the Stewart's Shop on North Chestnut Street in New Paltz.

Simpson is the second Ulster County resident in less than a week to win $100,000 in a state lottery game. Last Thursday, Costas Kalimeras of Kingston won $102,763 by matching all five numbers drawn in the Take Five game. Kalimeras bought his ticket at the Convenience Food Mart and Exxon gas station on Lucas Avenue in the town of Ulster.

In the game that Simpson played, the jackpot is $100,000 a year for 20 years.

Simpson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

©Daily Freeman 2004 Powerball Jackpot Reaches $103 Million

America's favorite lottery game is on a roll. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 557,782 players across the nation won a total of more than $4.2 million in prizes in America's Game.

Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing, the jackpot will grow to an estimated $103 million. That's currently the largest lottery jackpot in the country.

The cash option for the Saturday, April 24 drawing will be an estimated $54.4 million.

The numbers drawn were: 8, 11, 34, 42, 51 and the Powerball was 27. The Power Play multiplier was 4.

Six players correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. The tickets were sold in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. Tennessee began selling Powerball tickets on Monday and already one lucky Tennessee player has won $100,000.

None of the six winning Match 5 players purchased the Power Play option. If they had, they would have multiplied their prize by 4 for a total win of $400,000.

Thirty-three players matched 4 white numbers plus the Powerball and won $5,000. Three of those players purchased the Power Play option, giving them a total win of $20,000.

More than 64,000 winning Powerball players multiplied their prize by 4 Wednesday. They were able to do that by purchasing the Power Play option for one dollar. With Power Play you can multiply your winnings, except for the jackpot. At the beginning of each drawing a wheel is spun to select that night's multiplier.

This current jackpot run started with the Wednesday, March 17 drawing. The drawing on Wednesday night was the 11th consecutive draw without being hit. More than 4.1 million Powerball players across the nation have won a total of more than $33 million in cash prizes since this jackpot run started in mid-March.

Players purchased more than 20.2 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

The lotteries sold more than $2 billion in Powerball tickets in 2003. That translates into more than $600 million for worthwhile state projects.

Powerball is now played in 26 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Maine will begin sales this summer.

Monster lottery jackpot
$30-M up for grabs
By KATIE CHALMERS, STAFF REPORTER

r the third-largest Super 7 jackpot is tonight at 8 o'clock.

"My advice is get your tickets early," said Wayne Slobodian, owner of Happy Joe's. "They'll be pretty long lineups all day."

People often spend an additional $10 on tickets when jackpots reach the $30-million mark, said Slobodian, who has his own wish-list ready if he ever wins big.

His dream includes a move to Linden Woods, a 35-foot boat and a Ford 150 truck.

"I've been trying to win for 35 years. I've had a lot of time to think about it," he joked.

Western Canada Lottery Corp. spokesman John Matheson anticipates ticket sales for a guaranteed $30-million jackpot will reach $2 million.

"Anytime you get up to those levels, ticket sales are very strong," Matheson said.

The largest Super 7 jackpot ever was $37.8 million on May 17, 2002, which surpassed its $34-million estimate. A February 2003, jackpot reached $32.5 million, claiming second-place honours.