$240 million Powerball jackpot paying off for Post Falls store

Big dreams need big money. That’s why some Washingtonians are willing to cross state lines for a chance to win the $240 million Powerball jackpot.

The drawing for the unusually big prize is today at 7:59 p.m.

Washington does not participate in the multi-state lottery game, so it fell to Idaho to give the dream-seekers on both sides of the Idaho state line a shot at the prize.

“We’ve never won so we’re risking it,” said Linda De la Cruz, who drove to Post Falls from Medical Lake and bought $6 worth of tickets.

People trickled steadily into the Post Falls Super Store 24, just off I-90 on West Riverbend Avenue. As of midafternoon Tuesday the convenience store had sold $950 worth of tickets.

“We should have the most sales tomorrow,” Bonnie Pooni said Tuesday. Her husband, Sukhi Pooni, owns the store. “We should be selling more than $1,900 for sure.”

The store sold $1,896 worth of tickets on Saturday, the day of the last drawing, and $1,442 on Friday.

There were no jackpot winners Saturday, but more than 1.3 million people won more than $11.5 million across the nation, according to the Powerball Web site. The game is played in 27 states, plus the District of Columbia and Virgin Islands.

Saturday’s drawing was worth an estimated $117.7 million before taxes, if the winner chooses to take the money in a lump sum rather than 30 annual payments.

Some lottery players said Tuesday they know exactly what they would do with their millions. Others know only that they want to win.

De la Cruz said she’d get a new house, a car for her husband and start her own charitable fund. “We’ve had so many disasters, there are so many who need a little cash,” she said.

Stacey Trejbal, from Liberty Lake, said she wants to help out her family and make sure they’re all out of debt and their houses paid for. Then she would build herself a dream home.

“Nothing too extravagant,” she said. “I’d like to be on the water of Liberty Lake.”

“For $240 million, it better be extravagant,” said Ashley Dotts, who was selling tickets at the store.

Some dreamers spent $5 or $10 on tickets while the more adventurous put down $50. Dotts said she has sold as much as $100 worth of tickets to one person for today’s drawing.

Scott Angioi, from Spokane, spent $5 and said the first thing he would do is quit his job. Then he’d get lakefront land, buy some cars and give the rest to charity.

Jack Webb, from Spokane, said he’d give the money to his four children and grandchildren.

“I ain’t gotta worry about it because I never win,” he said. “(But) there’s always a chance, you know.”

Many people rushed into the store and out again – they said they were skipping work and didn’t want their bosses to know. Dotts and Pooni said they expected their biggest rush after 5 p.m.

Others, like Isaac Walton of Post Falls, haven’t quite decided yet what they would do with their money. Walton bought $10 worth of tickets.

“I’m not one of those crazy $100 guys,” said Walton, who wants to travel around the world playing his guitar. He added that he’ll take some time, if he wins, to decide the best way to invest his money, but he already has some ideas.

“I’d build a replica of Noah’s ark and put it in Vegas,” he said.