Powerball ticket worth $70+ million sold at LaPorte supermarket

LAPORTE — One of the two winning tickets in Wednesday’s drawing for the over $141 million Powerball jackpot was sold here.

According to the Hoosier Lottery, the ticket matching all six numbers was purchased at Al’s Supermarket at 702 E. Lincolnway.

Alexis Pontius-Buell, Vice-President of Lakeshore Foods, the owner of Al’s Supermarket and other stores in the regional grocery chain, said she was definitely surprised when informed where the winning ticket was bought.

“I’m excited for our customer that won,” she said.

The name of the winning ticket holder has not been announced.

Pontius-Buell said it was the first time a winning ticket for such a large jackpot in any of the lottery drawings was sold at the store, which has been selling Powerball and other lottery tickets for over 30 years.

LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody congratulated whoever has the winning ticket and the owners of the store, which will receive an undisclosed cash stipend for selling the ticket.

“I wish them well,” Dermody said. “I’m sure they will have all kinds of new friends they never knew before.”

The jackpot will be divided between whoever holds the winning ticket in LaPorte and the holder of the other winning ticket purchased in Kansas.

According to the Hoosier Lottery, another ticket sold in Michigan City is worth $1 million for matching five numbers but not the Powerball number.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: $70 million Powerball lottery ticket sold at LaPorte supermarket