Once again, no one hit the Powerball jackpot in Saturday's draw, but a player in the Bay Area is holding one of three tickets sold in California worth $1.1 million after matching the first five numbers, according to the California Lottery.
The 5/5 ticket was bought at the 76 station at 15199 Washington Ave. in San Leandro, the lottery says.
A manager at the Rocket store at that 76 gas station spoke with NBC Bay Area Sunday. He heard the winning ticket was sold at his store, but he is still waiting for official confirmation.
The numbers in Saturday's draw were 28-45-53-56-69 and the Powerball 20.
Saturday's jackpot rose to an all-time lottery record of $1.6 billion, and since no jackpot tickets were sold in the multi-state game, it will rise to an estimated $1.9 billion for the next draw Monday, the California Lottery says.
The two other 5/5 tickets in California were sold at a supermarket in the Northern California city of Susanville in Lassen County and at a Rite Aid store in the Southern California city of Encinitas in San Diego County, the California Lottery says.
“I actually bought too much [more] than what I should have," laughed Serina Trujillo of San Leandro, who spent $180 worth on Powerball tickets at the 76 gas station on Washington Ave. in San Leandro.
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“I went to this store because I found out somebody won, so already that is a first sign of good luck," Trujillo said. She was one of many people who rushed to buy tickets at the Washington Avenue store after hearing the news about Saturday's draw.
“I’m hoping, and I hope if its not me, I hope somebody wins again, because, that’s a lot of money, and people could really build a future on that type of money,” said Trujillo. If she were to win the jackpot, she said she would use the winnings to take care of her grandpa and then she'd start her own business as a nail technician.
Word spread quickly about the reported win at the San Leandro gas station. Many residents waited in long lines at the store, hoping that lightning might strike twice.
The appeal is strong with the Powerball jackpot now approaching two billion dollars.
Even Certified Financial Planner Will Steinberger wanted to join in, he bought one Powerball and one SuperLotto ticket.
“I didn’t win, unsurprising," said Steinberger, who lives in Redwood City and is the founder of Think Different Financial Planning.
"That’s the lesson right there, it's three dollars and that’s not going to make or break my week, thankfully, but for some people it might, so it's just figuring out what that right number is,” Steinberger said.
Statistically, he says, your money is better spent saving and investing over time.
"Honestly the lottery is-- your chances of winning are very poor and so, I think you should, if you want to play the lottery, think of it more as a fun thing to do rather than anything with any kind of guarantee," Steinberger suggested.
The odds of hitting all six numbers for the Powerball are one in 292 million.
Still, East Bay residents buying tickets at this San Leandro store said they wanted to take their chances. Some spent dozens of dollars, others spent hundreds of dollars on tickets.
"If we win, we could help people, especially back home," said San Leandro resident Doris Chua, who has family in the Philippines she would like to help out. Chua spent $110 on Powerball tickets, hoping that the San Leandro gas station is the lucky place to buy them.
If you want to buy tickets for the next Powerball draw, you have until 7 p.m. Monday to do so.
