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Powerball Tickets Now On Sale In Florida

News Channel 8 photo by JOHN WINTERROWD

In 2006, a Powerball winner claimed a record $365 million jackpot.

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 4, 2009

Updated: 01/04/2009 07:40 pm

TAMPA - After years of waiting, Floridians finally got the opportunity today to start playing Powerball, a multistate lottery where the jackpot averages nearly $40 million per drawing.

When Powerball tickets went on sale at 6 a.m., Florida became the 30th state to join the Multi-State Lottery Association.

Customers' excitement for Powerball had been building up all week, said Michael Allen, the general manager of the Nola Café on Platt Street.

"People have been looking forward to this coming to Florida for a long time," Allen said. "It's the amount of the jackpot. People are blown away by how much other states are bringing in on their winnings."

It's easy to see why. Spending $3 on three tickets for the Florida Lotto gives people a chance at a $31 million Lotto Plus jackpot. Customers buying only one $2 Powerball ticket have a shot at this week's $105 million jackpot.

Drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

For a $1 ticket, players pick five numbers from 59 white balls and one number ─ the Powerball number ─ from 39 red balls. Picking all six numbers correctly wins the jackpot.

Zack Ide, a manager of the Metro Gas Food Mart on Kennedy Boulevard, said he had sold eight Powerball tickets by late this afternoon.

Christian Bletchen, 28, bought one Powerball ticket from Ide on his way back to Orlando.

"I'm not a big Lotto player, but if this is the first day of Powerball, why not?" Bletchen said. "I hope I win. I would die. I would travel the world."

News Channel 8 videographer John Winterrowd and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920.

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