Central Iowa Woman Claims $50,000 Powerball® Prize
Elizabeth Marter Wins Big in Sept. 3 Drawing
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CLIVE, Iowa — A central Iowa woman said she was skeptical when her husband told her they'd won a $50,000 Powerball® prize.
"I thought it was a joke," Elizabeth Marter said with a laugh on Friday as she claimed the big prize at the lottery's main office in Clive. "But then when I realized it wasn't, I got very, very excited."
Marter and her husband Jim matched four of five white balls and the Powerball in the Sept. 3 drawing. Their ticket was just one number away from winning that night's $1.44 billion jackpot.
Jim, who bought the ticket at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, 912 N. Jefferson Way in Indianola, came home the day after the drawing to share the news.
"He was like, 'Well, I stopped and checked the lottery ticket,' and I'm like, 'Mmm-hmm, sure you did!'" Marter recalled. "When he put it front of me I saw the $50,000 and thought, "OK, this is a joke.' And then no, he was serious.
"I was very, very excited," she added. "I checked online just to be sure."
The winning numbers in the Sept. 3 drawing were 3-16-29-61-69 and Powerball 22. The Power Play® multiplier number was 2.
The game's jackpot continued to grow to $1.787 billion — the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history — until it was won Saturday with two tickets purchased in Missouri and Texas.
Marter said she and her husband plan to use the winnings to pay off debt and cushion their savings account.
Since getting its start in April 1992 in 15 states with jackpots that started at a guaranteed $2 million, Powerball has grown into one of the world's biggest and most recognizable lottery games. Today, Powerball is played by 48 lotteries with drawings at 9:59 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
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