Somerset County Man Wins Record $1.57 Million Cash 5 Jackpot from PA Lottery

SOMERSET, Pa., Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ronald Flickinger, of Somerset, won $1.57 million from the Pennsylvania Lottery's Jan. 9 Cash 5 drawing. It is the largest single, jackpot-winning ticket sold since the game's 1992 inception.

He presented his winning ticket for validation earlier this week.

Lottery District Supervisor Bob Gilmore today presented a ceremonial check to Flickinger at Rhoads Mini Mart in Somerset, where the ticket was purchased. The store, which has been a Lottery retailer since 1983, receives a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

"Rather than wait until the morning to fill up, I stopped Sunday evening to buy gas," said Flickinger, who owns a local tire shop. "I noticed the Cash 5 jackpot was high, so I bought a ticket."

Flickinger's quick-pick ticket correctly matched all five numbers drawn, 05-17-25-31-37, to win the Jan. 9 Cash 5 jackpot worth $1,570,330, less 25-percent federal withholding.

Over six drawings, the Cash 5 jackpot grew to more than $1.5 million. Previously, the July 13, 2010, drawing held the record for the single-highest Cash 5 payout, which was $1,538,987.  

How to play Cash 5: To play Cash 5, players pay $1 and select five of 43 numbers. Players may select their own numbers using Cash 5 play slips, or they may opt for computer-selected quick picks. Players must match all five numbers drawn to win the jackpot. The starting jackpot is $125,000 and grows until it is won. The odds of winning a Cash 5 jackpot are 1-in-962,598; overall odds of winning a Cash 5 prize are 1-in-10.51. Cash 5 is the longest-running jackpot game in Pennsylvania Lottery history. Cash 5 tickets first went on sale April 23, 1992. 

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception 38 years ago, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $20.1 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit www.palottery.com.

Media contact: Kirstin Alvanitakis, 717-702-8008 or 717-756-6251 (cell)

Editor's Note: In fiscal year 2009-10, Pennsylvania Lottery players in Somerset County won about $9.6 million in prizes, and retailers in Somerset County earned approximately $870,000 in commissions and bonuses. Last year, the Pennsylvania Lottery contributed nearly $9.7 million to programs that benefited seniors in Somerset County.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery

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