Since the spring, at least 10 match-5 Powerball tickets have been sold across the state.  Not all of those winners received the usual $200,000 prize though. Three of those ticket purchasers selected the Power Play option, bumping up their winnings to a cool $1 million! And retailers got in on the action with selling bonuses ranging from $2,000 to $10,000!

Acadian Express #4622 in Houma kicked off the string of winners when the store sold Jerome Shields his winning ticket from the April 8 drawing.

"I always check all of my tickets to see if I match the Powerball number first.  I hadn't for the April 8 drawing, but I went back through them to check for matching white ball numbers," said the 54-year-old Lockport resident. "Tuesday, I went back through all the winning tickets I had set aside just to verify how much I had won, and I couldn't believe what I saw. The last ticket matched all five of the white ball numbers!"

Acadian Express #4622 received a $2,000 bonus for selling Shields his winning ticket.

John McIntyre of Natchez, Miss., became the Lottery's first Powerball millionaire of 2009 when he claimed his prize from the May 2 drawing. Since he selected the Power Play option, B-Kwik Food Mart #7 in Vidalia received a one-time selling bonus of $10,000. Alexandria CSR Elizabeth Longino and B-Kwik Food Mart #7 Manager Ursula hang the "We Sold the Winning Ticket HERE!" banner.

"I called my niece the day after the drawing and she gave me the numbers," explained McIntyre, age 66. "I wrote them down and threw them on the table. I didn't look at them again until two days later.  Then, I said to myself, 'I caught four. Wait, no indeed, I caught five!'"

Longtime friends Kerri Oliver and Rita Stafford, both of Arkansas, gave Norsworthy's in Bastrop the same opportunity the very next drawing. Norsworthy's received a $10,000 selling bonus, and the women shared the $1 million Powerball prize from the May 6 drawing.

"We grew up together," said Oliver, age 27. "This was the fourth time we'd bought tickets. We sat down and said no matter what we win -- $15 or a million - we'll split it down the middle."

"She's the only person I would trust to do something like this with," added Stafford, age 29.  "We promised each other this wouldn't come between us."

Norsworthy's Owner Wayne Robinson and Clerk Fifi Sewell hung the "We Sold the Winning Ticket HERE!" banner in the store.

The third $1 million Powerball prize, won during the April 29 drawing, was sold at New Excel in West Monroe. The store also received a $10,000 bonus and the Lottery is awaiting the winner to claim the prize as of June 26. Daytime Store Manager Bridget Tanner and Owner Jessica Ayra hang the "We Sold the Winning Ticket HERE!" banner in hopes the winner will see it.


Racetrac Petroleum #360 in Baton Rouge received a one-time bonus of $2,000 for selling a winning ticket from the April 11 Powerball drawing. Baton Rouge CSR Christy Haldane and Racetrac Petroleum #360 employees Michael Irving, Gwendolyn Johnson, Melanie Durand and Joey Jolly displayed a flyer announcing the winning ticket.

Varero Corner Store #1731 Manager Mona Richard and Assistant Manager Karyn Buttifofer hold the "We Sold the Winning Ticket HERE!" banner. The Lafayette store received a $2,000 one-time bonus for selling the winning ticket from the April 25 drawing.


Kangaroo Express #3450 in Tallulah sold a winning ticket from the May 6 Powerball drawing, earning the store a $2,000 selling bonus. Cashier Janet Brown and Assistant Manager Jane Gray display the "We Sold the Winning Ticket HERE!" banner.

Russell Oliver nearly caused a traffic jam when he checked the Powerball ticket he purchased from Lakeview Mini Mart in New Orleans for the May 30 drawing.

"I stopped at a grocery store to get a winning numbers report. I got back in my car and at a red light, I checked my tickets," explained the 61-year-old Foxworth, Miss. resident. "It was a shock to see the numbers! I made sure to pull off to the side of the road to call my wife!"

Lakeview Mini Mart Manager Mike Ard holds a "big check" for the store's selling bonus of $2,000.

Kim's Sunflower in Angie was happy to receive its $2,000 bonus for selling a winning ticket from the June 6 drawing.

A week-long trip to Louisiana paid off in big way for Riley Broussard Jr. of Port Arthur, Texas, but he didn't realize it until he returned home and checked the Powerball ticket he had purchased at Tobacco Plus #20 in Lake Charles.

"It was well worth the trip back to Louisiana," explained 58-year-old Broussard who claimed his $200,000 Powerball prize from the June 13 drawing.

Tobacco Plus #20 received a $2,000 bonus for selling Broussard his winning ticket.



Highway 22 Chevron Assistant Manager Cheryl Gleason holds a "big check" for the store's bonus of $2,000 for selling a winning ticket from the March 21 drawing. New Orleans CSR Cheryl Bertaut helps her to celebrate with a Powerball t-shirt and a big smile.

Don't forget...
Asking for the sale is a great way to double your commission and possibly increase the selling bonus up to five times!  Just ask Jerome Shields:

"I didn't purchase the Power Play because I didn't really know what it was," he explained. "They gave me the details when I went to claim my prize, and I will definitely purchase Power Play from now on!"

Asking for the sale not only puts a little extra cash in your pocket, but it can be a great opportunity for good customer service when you help a player to better understand the game.