Pennsylvania Lottery Officially Announces Powerball Winners

MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania – (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Pennsylvania Lottery today announced that WLT Trust and its beneficiaries, Florence Ayers, 69, of Harmony, Butler County; her son James Ayers, 41, of Mars, Butler County; and her daughter Sharon Kreindel, 48, of Beachwood, Ohio, are the winners of the Dec. 8, 2004 Powerball(R) jackpot worth a $171.4 million annuity or $93.4 million cash. The Ayers family has selected the cash option and will receive a one-time payment of $93,428,155.06, less 25 percent federal withholding from the Pennsylvania Lottery.

The Ayers family's sole jackpot-winning ticket matched all five white balls, 13-17-35-45-50, and the red Powerball(R), 02, in the Dec. 8, 2004, drawing. Pennsylvania sold four winning Powerball(R) jackpot tickets in 2004; winning tickets were also sold in Pennsylvania for the May 8, May 29 and Dec. 22 drawings.

The Ayers family presented the winning ticket at Lottery Headquarters in Middletown, Dauphin County on January 10, after consulting with legal counsel. After examining the ticket and executing other propriety security measures, Lottery officials confirmed that it was the winning ticket.

The winning computer-selected ticket was purchased at the Country Food Mart in New Castle, Lawrence County, on Dec. 8. The retailer receives a $100,000 bonus for selling the jackpot-winning ticket. Russell DeMatteo, owner of the Country Food Mart, plans to share some of the bonus with his employees.

The Dec. 8, 2004, $171.4 million Powerball(R) jackpot is the second- largest prize in PA Lottery history and is the 10th largest Powerball(R) jackpot ever. Steve and Kristine White of Skillman, New Jersey won the largest prize in Pennsylvania Lottery history. The Whites took home a cash prize of $110,230,721, less 25 percent federal withholding, from the May 8, 2004 Powerball(R) drawing.

Editor's Note: The Ayers family opted not to participate in a press conference and will make no public statements. The winners have asked that the news media and general public respect their privacy.