Winning $96.6M Powerball ticket sold in Kansas

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By JOHN MILBURN

Associated Press Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas Lottery officials were waiting Thursday for the holder of a $96.6 million Powerball ticket to step forward.

The winner -- or winners -- would be the biggest ever for a ticket sold in Kansas in the multistate game.

Kansas Lottery Spokeswoman Sally Lunsford said in a telephone interview from a lottery conference in Florida that the winning ticket was sold in south-central Kansas, which includes Wichita and the surrounding counties. The winner and exact location was not immediately disclosed.

"I would just tell the winner to be ready for a life-changing experience," Lunsford said. "It's exciting."

The winning numbers are 8-12-14-22-29, with the Powerball of 22.

Lottery officials were advising the winner to sign the back of the ticket and keep it in a secure location until presenting it to claim the jackpot. Lunsford also said consulting a financial or legal adviser might be a good idea. Winners have 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize.

The previous largest jackpot was won in 2000 when a group of airline pilots had one of three tickets that matched a $150 million jackpot. There have been 10 Powerball jackpot winners in all from Kansas. The most recent winner was a Topeka resident in 2006 who won a $15 million prize.

Lunsford said the lump-sum award would give the winner more than $48.3 million. Kansas will receive about 5 percent of the total in taxes.

"It would be helpful for the budget," she said.

State revenues have been declining as the recession continues to linger in Kansas. Economists trimmed the 2010 revenue forecast on Nov. 5 by $235 million, meaning the state must close a budget gap that's about $260 million to break even.

There were 12 tickets that matched the first five numbers, but missed the Powerball. Three were matched in Pennsylvania, two each in Florida and South Carolina and one in Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. The next drawing is Saturday with an estimated jackpot of $20 million.

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On the Net:

Kansas Lottery: http://www.kslottery.com