Powerball hungry

Tuesday, July 25, 2006 posted 11:39 AM EDT

The winnings have flowed back into the state, with about 507,928 tickets winning prizes totaling $5 million. In Wednesday's drawing alone, 61,457 prizes were handed out to North Carolina residents.

"We expected something good," said Charles Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, the organization that oversees the game. "But this surpassed our predictions."

The result means money for school construction, college scholarships and other education programs.

Sales boon

Sales have been especially good at the Catamount Travel Center in Cherokee, ranked 15th in North Carolina when it comes to Powerball sales and ranked No. 1 in Western North Carolina.

As with all businesses, location is the key. The Travel Center is about one mile from Harrah's Cherokee Casino, which brings in customers from neighboring states who already are in the mood to take a chance.

"It's a natural place for people to play," said Rona Winchester who co-owns the store with her husband, Russell.

The center on U.S. 441, which has a restaurant, car wash and gas station, was busy before Powerball came to town.

Now it's the closest place to buy lottery and Powerball tickets for most people living on the nearby reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Some tourists stop on their way to and from the casino, but most of the business's customers are locals.

"It brings in more people inside the Travel Center," Winchester said. "They purchase gas and other things. We've been very pleased with the opportunity to offer it to our customers and the increase in sales."

Winchester, a retired schoolteacher, said an added bonus is that 35 percent of Powerball and instant scratch-ticket sales go to pay for education programs.

Lottery tickets sales are a boost also for retailers, who keep 7 percent of ticket sales.

A player's perspective

Maria Carter of Cherokee played Powerball at the Catamount Travel Center for the first time Wednesday because she couldn't pass up what the jackpot would mean in her life.

She wasn't dreaming of a new car, house or early retirement. Instead, she wants the money to help her family in the Philippines.

"I have five brothers and three sisters there," she said. "All I want to do is get them a house and a business. I don't really care about me."

But a big jackpot at $118.5 million doesn't hurt either. The estimated jackpot heading into Saturday's drawing carried an estimated cash value of $52.9 million.

Candy Hicks said she knows how she would spend the money if she won the jackpot.

"I'm buying me a house," she said as she left the store with a ticket for the drawing.

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