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Winner from Kansas Claims $96.6 million Powerball!
Donald Damon, 70, a lifelong resident of Great Bend, was introduced in a news
conference that was held at Lottery headquarters in Topeka. Damon was the sole
winner of the $96.6 million Powerball jackpot. He matched all numbers in the
November 11th drawing, winning the biggest Powerball jackpot ever won in Kansas!
Damon claimed his winnings at the Kansas Lottery’s Great Bend office, shortly
after realizing he’d become a multi-millionaire.
“Thursday, my daughter Karen told me that someone had won the Powerball jackpot
in south central Kansas on Wednesday,” said Damon. “She said that she knew she
hadn’t won on her ticket, so I asked her to check my ticket.“ When Karen checked
the ticket on the Lottery’s website it became a life-changing moment. “I told
Dad he matched the Powerball number and he jokingly said that he must be the
winner,” said Karen. “When we realized he did have the winning ticket, we were
both shocked.” Damon and Karen immediately hopped in the car and drove to the
Kansas Lottery’s Great Bend office. “I wasn’t sure how much I’d won,” the winner
said. “I figured it was $15 million. When they said it was $96.6 million, I
about fell over. I’ve been saying for years that I was going to win a Powerball
jackpot someday.”
Once the paperwork was completed at the Great Bend office, Damon called his wife
Kathleen at work and told her she should come home. “I work at the Senior Center
and we were having our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday,” said Kathleen. “I wasn’t
going to leave until my work was finished.” Kathleen not only works at the
Senior Center in Great Bend, she also has two other jobs. She works at a beauty
salon and at Central Kansas Medical Center. “It will be nice not having to get
up at 4 a.m. anymore,” said Kathleen.
The winner purchased his lucky $1 Quick Pick ticket at Dillons 51, located at
4107 10th St. in Great Bend. Damon had the choice of taking the annuity option
of $96.6 million, which is paid in 30 payments over 29 years; or the cash option
of $48.3 million, which is paid in one lump sum. He has decided to take the cash
option. Now that he’s a multi-millionaire, Damon plans to help a few local
churches with a portion of his prize money. He also said he wanted to take his
grandson Brendon to Las Vegas for his 21st birthday. Otherwise, he was undecided
how he’d spend his winnings.
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