BROOKLYN PLAYER ONE NUMBER AWAY FROM THE BIG JACKPOT

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Charles Hawkins Wins $10,000 Prize in the March 10 Powerball® Drawing

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Brooklyn man came within one number of winning the Powerball jackpot of an estimated $172.7 million on March 10 and ended up winning a $10,000 prize.

Charles Hawkins, 52, said he came within one number of winning it all – literally.

"We were one number from winning the big one. The number was 37 and we had 36," Hawkins said.

Hawkins and his wife, Pam, discovered the win after taking in a few of their Powerball tickets to have them validated at a local retailer.

"The first one they ran through and it was $7. The second one she ran it and she said, 'Well, this is a little bit more.' And I said, 'How much?' And she said, 'It's enough you'll have to take it to Des Moines or Cedar Rapids to get it cashed.'" Hawkins said. "She showed me the thing and it was $10,000. We were pretty excited about it!"

Hawkins, who works as a lineman for Brooklyn Utilities, said he has had a chance to tell his friends and family about it and they're all very excited for him.

"Of course everybody's our best friend now," he laughed.

Hawkins said he and Pam are planning to use some of the winnings to take a trip to Florida and save the rest.

Hawkins claimed his lucky prize on St. Patrick's Day at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids. He bought his winning Powerball ticket at Kum & Go, 106 W. Second St. in Brooklyn.

The winning numbers on March 10 were 17-21-37-41-50 and Powerball 1. The Power Play® multiplier was five. Hawkins matched four of the first five numbers drawn and the Powerball to win a $10,000 prize. Had he added the Power Play to his ticket, Hawkins would have multiplied his $10,000 win by five to win a total of $50,000.

Hawkins added he'd definitely be adding the Power Play to his tickets in the future.

Players can increase their prizes with the Power Play (except the jackpot) up to five times. The cost is $1 per play. The Power Play number, 2 through 5, is chosen at the beginning of the drawing indicating the amount prizes (except the jackpot) will be multiplied if that number is drawn.

For players who choose the Power Play and match five white balls (regularly a $200,000 prize), the multiplier will always be 5, so those players would win an instant $1 million.

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

Players may visit the Iowa Lottery at 2323 Grand Ave. in Des Moines or go to one of the lottery's regional offices in Council Bluffs, Storm Lake, Mason City or Cedar Rapids to claim prizes.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, its players have won more than $2.4 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.2 billion for state programs.