OTTUMWA DOCTOR CASHES IN WITH POWER PLAY,
WINS $40,000

Jashim Ahmed Wins in March 1 Powerball Drawing

DES MOINES, Iowa - A southern Iowa man has claimed a significant lottery prize.

Jashim Ahmed of Ottumwa won $40,000 in the March 1 Powerball® drawing. He purchased the winning ticket at Amoco, 1049 West Second St. in Ottumwa and claimed his prize at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Des Moines.

Ahmed, who works as a physician in Ottumwa, chose his own numbers. He said he chose the date of his wife's birthday, 19, twice: once for one of the white balls and once for the Powerball.

The winning Powerball numbers for the March 1 drawing were: 2-19-21-31-55. The Powerball was 19. The Power Play® multiplier was 4.

Normally, Ahmed would have won $10,000 for matching four white balls and the Powerball, but because he added the Power Play option to his ticket, he quadrupled his prize to win $40,000!

Players can increase their prizes with the Power Play (except the jackpot) up to five times. The cost is $1 per play.

Just before the Powerball numbers are drawn, the Power Play wheel is spun. Slots on the wheel list the numbers 2 through 5, indicating the amount non-jackpot prizes will be multiplied if that number is drawn.

Winning numbers may be checked by calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Winning numbers may also be checked through the winning numbers' hot line at (515) 323-4633, at the lottery Web site at www.ialottery.com or with lottery retail outlets.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, more than $2.1 billion has been awarded in prizes and more than $1.1 billion has been raised for state programs.