Zachary Woman Claims Louisiana's First $1 Million Powerball Prize of 2016
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Tonya Vessel visited Louisiana Lottery headquarters Thursday to claim the Louisiana Lottery’s first $1 million Powerball prize of 2016. The 42-year-old Zachary resident’s ticket matched all five white-ball numbers but missed the red Powerball number in the Jan. 6 drawing, which featured a jackpot of $550 million. She received $700,000 after federal and state taxes were withheld. The winning ticket was purchased at Pablo’s in New Roads. The store will receive a one-time selling bonus of $10,000, which is 1 percent of the prize. “It truly is a great opportunity for us and our customers,” said Emily S. Miller, co-owner of Pablo’s, about receiving the selling bonus. “Not only does the Lottery bring in revenue for the state and education, but it’s great for us to be able to put money back into our company for updates and new merchandise to keep our facilities up to date for our customers.” Ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age. Draw-style game tickets must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing. Anyone who may have a gambling problem or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem should call toll free 1-877-770-7867 for help. For security purposes, the Lottery strongly encourages players to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchasing. More information about other Powerball winners can be found on the Lottery’s website, www.louisianalottery.com.