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Million-dollar Powerball ticket sold in Delavan

DELAVAN — The manager of the Delavan Mobil Mart that sold a $1 million Powerball ticket couldn't wait to get to work Sunday morning.

"I was thinking maybe the (third-shift) cashier would be able to tell me what time the (winning) ticket was sold," Ron Reeves said.

No such luck.

Between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Saturday, a representative from the Wisconsin Lottery called the store at 502 Borg Road with news of the winning sale.

"It sounds like they'll come down tomorrow," he said of lottery officials.

No one won the $325 million jackpot Saturday. Wednesday's jackpot will be an estimated $425 million.

Reeves said it's exciting to know the Mobil Mart sold a $1 million ticket.

Reeves even called the general line of the business that makes and services the lottery machines for his store to see if someone there could provide information, but no one could.

"I was told I'd have to wait until the lottery office opens Monday. So I have no idea what time it (the winning ticket) was sold. I wish I did. Then I could look at video and see if it is one of our regular customers," Reeves said.

Meanwhile, Reeves and other Mobil Mart employees have been asking customers to check their tickets.

"It's surprising how many people don't check and don't even know where their ticket is if they bought one," he said.

This isn't the first winning ticket at the Delavan Mobil Mart.

"In 2001, we sold a $100,000 Powerball winner that was never claimed," Reeves said.

The Mobil Mart also sold two $10,000 winning scratch-off tickets in August, but Reeves couldn't remember the game.

"We've had a lot of $1,000 winners," Reeves added.

"I've been with Mobil since 1989, and this is the first time we've ever sold a huge (winning) ticket," he said.

Ironically, Reeves said, lottery sales are down since January, when the Powerball ticket price increased from $1 to $2.

Normally, when a jackpot is around $300 million, Reeves said the Mobil Mart sells between $3,000 and $4,000 worth of tickets.

"But with this, we sold around $1,500," he said.

Reeves also attributes the downturn to people out shopping on Black Friday.

According to a Wisconsin Lottery news release, Wednesday's $425 million jackpot is a new Powerball record and the second largest lottery jackpot offered in the United States.

The $1 million winner must claim his or her prize at the lottery's headquarters in Madison within 180 days of Saturday's drawing. Saturday night's winning numbers were 22, 32, 37, 44 and 50. The Powerball was 34.