Westfield $250,000 Mega Millions® Winner, “It’s overwhelming”
Tipton native misses $656 million jackpot by one number
INDIANAPOLIS – One Hoosier got a sweet piece of last week’s Mega Millions action, missing Friday’s historic $656 million jackpot by one number. Angelica Silva of Westfield purchased a ticket at Speedway at 519 West Main Street in Westfield that matched the first five numbers, but not the Megaball® number, and is worth $250,000.
Silva lives in Westfield, but is originally from Tipton. She claimed her prize at Hoosier Lottery Headquarters Monday accompanied by her boyfriend, Alberto Mendoza and his mother, Maria Mendoza.
Silva is a stay-at-home mom to a three-year-old and is expecting her second child in June. She was over the moon about the timing of her sudden windfall and is excited to go shopping for baby items. Silva hasn’t formulated a long-term plan for her winnings yet, but ultimately hopes to use her winnings to benefit her children.
“You don’t expect something like this to happen in your life,” said Silva. “It’s overwhelming.”
The winning numbers in the March 30 drawing were 2-4-23-38-46 MB: 23. The jackpot was estimated to be $640 million, but it climbed today after nationwide sales were totaled.
Silva is one of 161 players nationwide to match the first five numbers, but not the Megaball number, in Friday night’s historic drawing. She is the only Hoosier to do so. In total, Indiana retailers sold 220,438 winning Mega Millions tickets with winnings of $1,295,801 for Friday night’s drawing. An additional 21,659 winning Mega Millions tickets in Indiana included the Megaplier® option and accounted for an extra $272,580 in prizes.
The Hoosier Lottery is committed to providing innovative and entertaining lottery games for the benefit of the citizens of Indiana. In fiscal year 2011, the Hoosier Lottery generated $188 million in net income which was used to significantly reduce the motor vehicle excise tax for all Hoosier drivers and also supported the pension funds for retired Indiana teachers, police and firefighters. Player prizes for the fiscal year totaled $495 million and $56 million was earned by Indiana retailers on the sale of Hoosier Lottery products.
Since its inception in 1989, the Hoosier Lottery has produced $4 billion in net income for the citizens of Indiana, nearly $1 billion in commissions and bonuses for participating Indiana retailers, and has paid out $8.5 billion in player prizes.
The Hoosier Lottery reminds players to always play responsibly.
Source & Photo Credit: Courtesy of Hoosier Lottery
