ALBUQUERQUE – Joe and Lisa Woodruff of Hobbs claimed a $2 million Powerball® prize from the New Mexico Lottery today. Their New Mexico Lottery ticket was the eighth of 2012 to win $1 million or more.
The Woodruffs were lucky twice.
Above: Joe and Lisa Woodruff, winners of $2 million Powerball® prize
First, their ticket for the game’s Nov. 28 drawing matched the white ball numbers of 5, 16, 22, 23 and 29 to win $1 million, beating odds of 1 in 5.2 million. In a second-lucky strike, they doubled their prize to $2 million by adding the $1 Power Play® feature to their ticket. Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes.
The Woodruffs did not know the ticket was worth $2 million until they arrived at lottery headquarters in Albuquerque.
“I kept saying, ‘Joe, Joe, pinch me,’” Lisa Woodruff said.
The Woodruffs’ plans for spending the seven-figure prize are modest.
“I guess I’ll pay off my Jeep,” Lisa Woodruff said.
Until today, the most the Woodruffs had won was a $7 Powerball prize. They play Powerball only if the jackpot reaches $300 million. The buzz around the record $587 million jackpot got their attention, although they never expected to win big.
“I’m not lucky,” Lisa Woodruff said. “My sister’s the lucky one. She walks by a slot machine and it spits out money.”
The winners, who put family birthdates and anniversaries on their ticket, missed the red Powerball of 6 and a share of the record $587 million jackpot. They bought their lucky ticket at Stripes No. 79 located at 3000 N. Grimes St. in Hobbs. Previously, the store has sold two large prize-winning lottery tickets paying between $1,500 and $5,000. For selling the $2 million-winning ticket, Stripes No. 79 is eligible for a $2,500 New Mexico Lottery bonus.
The Woodruffs’ winning ticket was one of more than 66,000 sold in New Mexico for the Nov. 28 drawing. After the drawing, New Mexico Lottery players had won more than $3.4 million. In addition to Woodruffs’ $2 million-winning ticket, the New Mexico Lottery sold a ticket for $1 million. The $1 million prize has not been claimed yet. All New Mexico Lottery tickets for drawing games expire 90 days after the date of the drawing.
Other New Mexico Lottery Millionaires of 2012
Larry and Cynthia Martinez of Blanco won a $1 million Powerball prize in January.
Patrick and Sharon Yazzie of Chinle, Ariz. won a $1 million Powerball prize in March. The couple bought their ticket while shopping in Black Hat near Gallup.
Robert Platt of Albuquerque won a $1.54 million Hot Lotto® jackpot while James Larson, also of Albuquerque, won a $1 million Powerball prize in April.
Danny Garcia of Veguita won a $1 million Mega Millions® prize in June.
Justin Laugherty of Las Cruces won a $1 million Powerball prize in August.
Michael Vigil of Santa Fe won a $1 million Powerball prize in September.
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
The sale of New Mexico Lottery games funds Legislative Lottery Scholarships, a college tuition assistance program. Since 1996, the New Mexico Lottery has raised more than $542 million for public education and more than 82,600 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships. Between 1996 and the 2012 summer semester, more than 1,750 students from Lea County have attended college on $4.7 million in Legislative Lottery Scholarships.
More information about the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program is available at www.nmlottery.com.
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