The Williams Trust Claims Share of $50 Million Powerball Jackpot

Louisiana's 15th Powerball jackpot-winning ticket was presented today at Louisiana Lottery headquarters by Baton Rouge attorney Stephanie Laborde, who claimed the prize on behalf of The Williams Trust. The trustee and beneficiary is a long-time New Orleans resident. 

"You couldn't meet a more deserving Lottery winner," said Laborde of her client. "She is a retiree from federal civil service and works two part-time jobs to supplement her and her husband's income. She is planning to give some money to her church, take care of her family's debts, fix up her house, replace her old car, travel and save enough so that she doesn't have to worry about bills in the future."

The jackpot-winning ticket sold at Franklin Shell Gas on Franklin Avenue in New Orleans was one of three to share in the May 25 $50 million Powerball drawing; the other two winning tickets were sold in Florida and Delaware. The trustee opted for the cash payout of $10,377,750 and received $7,264,425 after federal and state tax withholdings. The retailer received a bonus of $25,000 for selling the ticket.

Laborde said her client has been playing Powerball for several years when she stops to get gas and always plays the same numbers. In fact, that's how she discovered that she had won. "Her brother called her early Sunday morning after the drawing and asked whether she still used their family birthdays as her Powerball numbers because they had come up," Laborde recounted. "She didn't believe him and therefore waited until after breakfast to check her ticket on the computer. Needless to say, she was stunned!"



A pari-mutuel prize, Powerball jackpots are split amongst the tickets that match all six winning numbers for the drawing. The winning numbers for the May 25 drawing were 02-06-19-21-27 and the Powerball was 25. The Powerball jackpot prize is advertised as a 30-installment annuity. Winners also have the option to take a one-time lump sum payment equal to the cash value of the jackpot prize pool.

Before the May 25 drawing marking Louisiana's 15th Powerball jackpot win, July 2010 was the last time a jackpot-winning ticket had been 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.

The Lottery encourages responsible play and urges anyone with a gambling problem or friends of anyone with a gambling problem to call toll free 1-877-770-7867 for help.