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Odds-On Favorite Keno Player Wins $38,500 With Four Winners In One Week

By Dan Hansen danh@spokesman.com

Most people would feel lucky to win the lottery once in a lifetime.

William Howard did it four times last week alone, winning a total of $38,500 playing Washington state’s Daily Keno game.

“You’ll have people who won $50 and then come back and win $100, but I don’t know of anyone else who has won that high an amount in one week,” said Janine Patry, state lottery spokeswoman in Olympia.

“Never.”

Howard couldn’t be reached by lottery officials, who wouldn’t release his telephone number or address. His picture holding the prize money is hanging in the Super C convenience store at 1809 N. Ash, but folks there said they haven’t seen him since he cashed in the winners.

“He’s probably off having a good time,” speculated Michael Eirls, a store employee.

Keno players mark their cards with up to 10 numbers between 1 and 80. Players’ winnings are based on their luck matching their numbers against the 20 that lottery officials select each day.

On Jan. 29, Howard cashed tickets worth $25,000, $5,000, $7,500 and $1,000. He beat odds ranging from 1:7,384 to 1:163,381 on each of those tickets. So, Howard’s odds of hitting all four in a single week were, uh, pretty darn slim.

Let’s just say Ritzville has a better chance of landing the 2006 winter Olympics.

Eirls said Howard is a longtime player who narrowed the odds by buying fists-full of tickets every week from several stores. Howard fills out the lottery cards at home, an indication that he may be using a computer to select the numbers, Eirls said.

This isn’t the first time Howard hit pay dirt. According to lottery records, he won $1,000 twice last summer.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: The winners Spokane’s William Howard won $38,500 on four lottery Keno tickets last week. Here’s how he did it: He won $25,000 by matching nine out of 10 numbers on a $5 ticket. (Odds: 1:163,381) He won $7,500 on a $3 ticket by matching eight out of nine numbers. (Odds: 1:30,682) He won $5,000 on a $1 ticket by matching nine out of 10 numbers. (Odds: 1:163,381) He won $1,000 on a $2 ticket by matching eight out of 10 numbers. (Odds: 1:7,384)

This sidebar appeared with the story: The winners Spokane’s William Howard won $38,500 on four lottery Keno tickets last week. Here’s how he did it: He won $25,000 by matching nine out of 10 numbers on a $5 ticket. (Odds: 1:163,381) He won $7,500 on a $3 ticket by matching eight out of nine numbers. (Odds: 1:30,682) He won $5,000 on a $1 ticket by matching nine out of 10 numbers. (Odds: 1:163,381) He won $1,000 on a $2 ticket by matching eight out of 10 numbers. (Odds: 1:7,384)