An as-yet unknown person has won $2 million in the Powerball lottery game, V.I. Lottery Director Conrad E. Francois II confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
"I think this is the largest Powerball winning we have had since operating the Powerball game in the territory," Francois said. "We are just happy one of our customers was able to win such a large prize," he said. Powerball has been in the territory since around 2003, he said.
"We don’t know who the individual is yet, but it was sold on St. Thomas and we are waiting for that individual to redeem their ticket," Francois said.
Francois did not have the winning numbers at hand, but said the winning ticket was purchased Saturday from Pharmacy One on St. Thomas, and the drawing of numbers was televised later that day.
"The individual successfully matched the five numbers and made the power play. That turned it from $1 million to $2 million," he said. "This is not the jackpot, but a second-tier prize. Right now the jackpot is at $60 million and there was no winner," he said.
The holder of the ticket can redeem it at their local V.I. Lottery Office, Francois said.
The V.I. Lottery’s proposed Fiscal Year 2013 budget projects it will take in about $20.4 million for FY12-13, with $10.9 million from St. Thomas video lottery terminals. Lottery expects another $8.4 million in traditional lottery ticket sales; $1.1 million in online games; and $26,000 in other income, Francois said during V.I. Legislature budget hearings in 2012.
Prizes are projected to total roughly $7.4 million for the year, making Saturday’s winner a major portion of the year’s winnings.
