Powerball Fever Helps Education Programs Nationwide
Wednesday January 20th 2016State lotteries across America are reporting that last week’s historic $1.58 billlion Powerball drawing has had positive benefits for the good causes they support. Powerball ticket sales in South Carolina hit $21 million for the monumental jackpot event, compared with an average of $1.2 million when the top prize is at a more modest level. This translates to between $10-$15 million being made available for education programs such as college scholarships and creating Research Centers for Economic Excellence at three of the state’s universities.
Officials in Georgia calculate the entire roll that led up to the world’s largest ever lottery jackpot has boosted the coffers of the state’s Pre-K and HOPE Scholarship programs by as much as $43.5 million. More than 1.7 million students have been able to go to college with the financial help of HOPE since it was launched in 1993.
In Florida, where one of the two remaining unclaimed jackpot-winning tickets was purchased, sales reached $238.6 million as the jackpot grew to its mighty summit, creating a windfall of more than $114 million for the state’s school system. Funds collected from lottery ticket sales in Florida are split between state colleges and universities, K-12 schools and financial aid programs.
Only John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee have claimed their share of the $1.58 billion prize so far, with the Floridian who bought their entry at a Publix in Melbourne Beach and a ticket holder who played their numbers at Chino Hills 7-Eleven in California yet to come forward. Lottery fans are speculating as to whether the missing winners are merely taking time to put their affairs in order before they are revealed to the public or if they do not yet realize they own a slip of paper worth more than half a billion dollars.
If you haven’t checked your Powerball numbers from Wednesday January 13th, grab your ticket and click on the Powerball page, but make sure you are sitting down just in case you get the shock of your life!
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