Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
JAKE TIJAN, left, a cashier at the BP station in Bessemer, hands Michael Bennetts, of Ironwood, a Powerball ticket Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday's Powerball is the largest in history at approximately $1.5 billion.
By TOM STANKARD
Bessemer - As the Powerball jackpot continues to rise, area residents battled cold temperatures Tuesday to buy lottery tickets in hopes of winning the over $1 billion jackpot.
The Powerball jackpot for tonight's drawing jumped $100 million, and now stands at approximately $1.5 billion.
Early Tuesday afternoon, Shawn Kitto, of Bessemer, said he doesn't normally purchase lottery tickets, but the prize was too tempting, so he tried his luck and bought a Powerball ticket at the BP station in Bessemer.
If he does win, he said he isn't sure what he'd do with all that money. Minutes later, Michael Bennetts, of Ironwood, bought a ticket, but said he is also unsure what he'd do if he won.
In Wakefield later in the afternoon, Tom Ravelli, of Ironwood, purchased a Powerball ticket at the Holiday Station Store. He said he plans to retire soon and, if he wins, he'd use the money to help out his son and travel around the world.
Although there hasn't been a jackpot winner yet, three Michigan players have matched the five white balls drawn to win $1 million, according to the Michigan Lottery.
The former record Powerball jackpot was $590.5 million, won on May 18, 2013, by Gloria C. Mackenzie, of Zephyrhills, Fla.
According to the Michigan Lottery, Powerball ticket sales began April 19, 1992. Michigan began selling Powerball tickets on Jan. 31, 2010.
The largest Powerball prize in Michigan was a $337 million jackpot won on Aug. 15, 2012, by Donald Lawson, of Lapeer. Lawson's jackpot holds the record for the largest lottery prize won in Michigan.
The last Michigan player to win a Powerball jackpot was Julie Leach, of Three Rivers. In September, she won the game's $310.5 million jackpot. In addition to Leach's jackpot, four players won the game's $1 million prize.
Players have plenty of time to purchase tickets for tonight's drawing. Lottery retailers throughout the state are selling Powerball tickets for the drawing until 9:45 p.m. today. The Powerball drawing takes place at 10 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday nights.
If Steven Gams, of Wakefield, wins, he said he'd buy a log cabin on Lake Superior, build an animal park and donate money to cancer research.
Powerball plays may be purchased for $2. A "Power Play" option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to five times may be added to any Powerball play for $1.
According to the Michigan Lottery, about 97 cents of every dollar spent on lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state school aid fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers.
