Tens of thousands of Iowans are dreaming of a green Christmas — one that involves a winning Powerball ticket. Iowa Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer says tonight’s drawing is for the largest jackpot in about year-and-a-half. It’s the largest jackpot since the summer of 2001, which ended up growing to 295-million dollars in August. This is the fourth-largest jackpot in Powerball history. Neubauer says ticket sales have been brisk — and they’ll be flying out of the Lottery machines today faster than Santa’s reindeer. The day of a drawing traditionally has the highest sales. Last Saturday, when the jackpot was at 125-million, Powerball sales peaked at 16-hundred-88 tickets per minute in Iowa. Today’s sales are expected to be even higher. Neubauer says many people are buying the tickets for themselves — and for others as early Christmas gifts. Neubauer says that 160-million dollars can go a long ways. She says you could give 55 dollars to every person in Iowa if you decided to give the prize away.The odds of winning are one in 120-million. The Iowa-based Powerball is played in 23 states, Washington D-C and the U-S Virgin Islands.
Iowa's Radio News Network
