Santa Brings Big Winners For Lotto, Powerball
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) - It was the biggest Lotto jackpot of the year, but there was plenty of room in Santa's sack to carry the prize. After months without a jackpot winner, the big prize was finally won Christmas Eve, $50 million to a single winner near Tallahassee.
The multi-state Powerball game also had a yuletide winner, a single ticket sold in Maryland. If that was in someone's stocking, they'll claim a cool $125 million.
The winning number was 14-16-30-51-52 and a Powerball of 19.
If the story of a Christmas winner sounds familiar, that's because one year ago this Christmas a New York couple married for 30 years won $48 million in the drawing December 25th.
In the Florida Lotto, which had not seen a winner in 3 months, the winning numbers were 2-11-15-19-24-26.
That Christmas present for one winner is not only the biggest jackpot of the year, it's the largest pot since April 2010.
Fewer people are playing the Florida Lotto in favor of Powerball, which is just fine for the state since it gets the same share of each ticket sold no matter what game is played.
That, and lower interest rates which cut the 30-year payout of Jackpots taken over time instead of as a smaller lump sum, mean the days of Florida Lotto jackpots topping $100 million are likely a thing of the past.
