BOISE, Idaho – For the first time in Idaho Lottery history, there were two jackpot winners on two different Idaho-only Draw Games in the same night. Both winning tickets, one on Weekly Grand and the other on the new Idaho Bingo, were sold at different Idaho Lottery retail locations in Ada County. This is the first $100,000 winner for Idaho Bingo, a new game that launched just six weeks ago. Weekly Grand pays its winner $1,000 a week after withholding taxes every week for an entire year. This is the twentieth jackpot winner in three years for Weekly Grand.
“Our players enjoy Idaho-only jackpot games and last night’s two jackpot winners have created some excitement in the Treasure Valley,” said Jeff Anderson, Idaho Lottery Director. “We are asking everyone who played Idaho Bingo and Weekly Grand to check their tickets carefully for winners and sign them before presenting them for payment. In the case of Idaho Bingo, their ticket is unique in that the winning pattern is in the shape of diamond.”
Winning numbers for Idaho Bingo can be found on the Idaho Lottery’s website at: http://www.idaholottery.com/games/draw/id_bingo/. In the game, the Lottery selects 30 numbers from a pool of 75. The jackpot winning ticket for Idaho Bingo has matched at least 12 numbers. Players can also check their tickets for winners using the Idaho Lottery’s Check-a-Ticket app or by visiting an Idaho Lottery retail location.
No one has contacted the Idaho Lottery to claim the $100,000 jackpot prize for Idaho Bingo.
By mid-Thursday morning, William Ross of Meridian had claimed the Weekly Grand jackpot prize. The winning ticket was sold at the Albertsons on Cherry Lane in Meridian.
Ross, who recently moved to Idaho with his wife to be closer to family, won the jackpot on the first ticket he ever purchased on Weekly Grand from a Winstation vending machine.
“I checked the numbers first thing this morning and realized I’d matched all five. I got excited, told my wife, even our dog got excited!” described Ross on finding out that he held the winning ticket.
Being new to Idaho, Ross did not realize that withholding taxes on Weekly Grand are paid on behalf of the winner and that each check each week would come for $1,000.
“Really? Seriously?” Ross questioned Lottery Officials. “Wow. Holy cow. I’m totally blown away! Thank you and God bless.”
For their part in selling the winning Weekly Grand ticket, Albertsons receives a $7,738 bonus from the Idaho Lottery.
