Iowa loses out on Powerball jackpot

DES MOINES - No one in Iowa beat the 175 million-to-one odds to win a share of Wednesday's $564.1 million Powerball jackpot drawing.

Three winning tickets that matched the jackpot numbers were sold in North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Texas.

Early details released by Iowa Lottery officials today indicate that Iowa players won more than 67,000 prizes ranging from $4 up to $30,000, including six tickets that came within one number of having at least a share of the jackpot.

Four tickets purchased in Iowa matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win prizes of $10,000 each, according to Iowa Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer. They were purchased at Hy-Vee Gas, 1025 E. Hickman Road in Waukee; Hy-Vee Gas, 4701 Fleur Drive in Des Moines; Casey's, 20 Miller Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids; and Casey's, 323 Iowa Highway 30 W. in Mount Vernon, she said.

Two more also matched those same numbers, but had the Power Play option added to them, which multiplied their prize to $30,000. They were purchased at Casey's, 1018 First Ave. E. in Newton; and Huba Huba, 9 Ninth St. SW in Waukon, Neubauer added.

The winning numbers in Wednesday's drawing were: 11, 13, 25, 39, 54 and the Powerball 19. The Power Play number was 3.

Strong sales nationwide pushed Wednesday's jackpot to $564.1 million. The jackpot was the third largest in Powerball history and the fifth largest U.S. lottery prize. The jackpot now goes back to $40 million for Saturday's drawing.

Iowa Lottery players bought nearly $4.7 million in Powerball tickets for Wednesday's drawing, including nearly $3 million in tickets on Wednesday alone.

During Wednesday's busiest stretch from about 5 to 6 p.m., Powerball tickets were selling at more than $6,100 per minute in Iowa, according to Neubauer. However, the average Iowa Powerball purchase on Wednesday was $6, or three plays per ticket.