MERRIMACK, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire lottery official says he's looking forward to meeting the winner of a $559.7 million Powerball lottery jackpot sold in Merrimack.
New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre says someone woke up a multimillionaire Sunday morning, January 7, 2018.
Officials say the jackpot was initially estimated at $570 million, but the actual jackpot at the time of the Saturday drawing was the lesser amount.
The winner has not yet come forward.
It was the second winning Powerball ticket sold in New Hampshire in a year and a half. On July 30, 2016, a $487 million winning ticket was sold in Raymond. In that case the winner chose to remain anonymous.
New Hampshire Lottery Chairman Debra Douglas calls the sale of the second winning ticket "an extraordinary moment for the New Hampshire lottery."
The owner of the New Hampshire convenience store that sold the winning ticket says he is very excited and overwhelmed by the win.
Sam Safa says many of Reeds Ferry Market regulars have been stopping by since it opened at 5:30 a.m. Sunday to congratulate him and chat about the nation's seventh-largest jackpot. He says the store in Merrimack, about 25 miles south of Concord, is a small, independent business over 100 years old.
The store will receive a $75,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The winning numbers drawn Saturday night were 12-29-30-33-61 and Powerball 26.
The winning ticket was drawn one day after a single Mega Millions ticket purchased in Florida matched all six numbers to claim $450 million.