Lottery mystery: Who won $113 million?

Friday, December 16, 2005 posted 10:18 AM EST

Someone has a $113 million secret.

Is it Aunt Nancy? The delivery man who never showed up today? Or Norman who failed to come to work, not even calling to fake a cold?

The rumor mill is abuzz as Iowans try to discern the winner of Wednesday's $113.2 million Powerball jackpot. The winning ticket was purchased at Dahl's Food Mart at 1819 Beaver Ave. in Des Moines. No one had contacted Iowa Lottery officials Thursday to claim the prize.

"Get me that name, and I hope it's someone with a biology B.A.," said David Oman, a spokesman for the group trying to raise millions of dollars for an indoor rain forest in Iowa. "We could probably find an extra seat on our board for the winner."

Wednesday's Powerball jackpot was the largest ever won in Iowa. Powerball is played in 27 states, and the largest jackpot was $363 million, which was won in 2000 by two ticket holders in Illinois and Michigan.

Five jackpots have been won by Iowans since Powerball's inception in 1985. The largest until this week was $31.8 million in 2000, won by Larry Hasken of Sabula.

A total of 609 tickets were sold at the Beaverdale Dahl's for Wednesday's drawing. The store will receive $10,000 for selling the winning ticket. The store's managers said Thursday that they were unsure how the money will be spent.

A $200,000 winning ticket was sold at a Casey's in Altoona. It was claimed by Steve Larsen of Altoona.

Jeanne O'Halloran of Beaverdale was shopping at the Dahl's store Thursday. She said she hopes the winner is a Beaverdale resident who will donate cash to efforts to rejuvenate the neighborhood's retail areas.

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