NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Louisiana Lottery officials in Baton Rouge are awaiting word from whoever bought one of the winning tickets from Saturday’s $50 million multi-state Powerball drawing.
A ticket sold at a gas station on Franklin Avenue in New Orleans was one of three winning tickets. The ticket-holders will each get a share of the $50 million prize.
The Franklin Shell Gas station gets a one-time bonus of $25,000 for selling the winning ticket.
Louisiana Lottery President Rose Hudson says in a news release that the holder of the winning ticket can claim a share of the prize at the lottery’s Baton Rouge headquarters. Meanwhile, the ticket-holder should treat the ticket like cash and sign the back for security purposes.
“It is also a good idea for all winners of substantial prizes, like this one, to seek professional financial advice prior to claiming their prize,” Hudson’s statement said.
The holder the winning ticket has 180 days after the date of the drawing to claim the prize. The Lottery recommends the winner call its prize payment office first before coming forward.
According to the lottery corporation, July 2010 was the last time a Powerball jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Louisiana. The $85.7 million prize was claimed by H & N Family Partnership of Baton Rouge.
The largest Powerball jackpot won in Louisiana was a $97 million prize claimed by Carl Hunter of Metairie from a drawing in January 2008.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
