Powerball winner sold in L.A. area, California lottery official says

DES MOINES, Iowa — A spokesman for the California lottery says a winning Powerball ticket was sold at a store in suburban Los Angeles.

Spokesman Alex Traverso tells The Associated Press the jackpot-winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, about 25 miles northeast of Anaheim.

The identity of the winner is not yet known. It could take several hours before officials know whether any other winning tickets were sold elsewhere.

The odds to win were 1 in 292.2 million.

Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerball game, had said they expected more than 85 percent of all the possible number combinations would have been bought for the drawing.

Had no one matched all of the numbers drawn — 4-8-19-27-34 and Powerball 10— lottery officials said the next jackpot would have reached $2 billion.

It could take several hours before officials know if any tickets sold since last Saturday’s drawing matched all six numbers drawn, which were 4-8-19-27-34 and Powerball 10.

The odds of winning are 1 in 292.2 million.

Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerball game, said they expected more than 85 percent of the possible number combinations would have been bought for the drawing.

If no tickets match all of the numbers drawn, lottery officials say, the next jackpot could reach $2 billion.

Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

— AP