January 10, 2005--Steven Herber was buying fuel on the evening of December 22, at the Kwik Shop at 5929 North 72nd in Omaha, when he purchased two plays for that night's drawing.

Less than five hours later, Herber became Nebraska's eighth Powerball jackpot winner when one of the tickets matched the six winning numbers: 02, 07, 11, 24, 31; powerball 18; Power Play 5.

The advertised jackpot for December 22 was an estimated $30 million, with a cash option value of $16.5 million. There were three jackpot winners that night, in Nebraska, Arizona and Pennsylvania. Herber and the other two jackpot winners are entitled to equal shares of the prize: $10.3 million annuity or $5.6 million cash.

When he claimed his prize on January 10 at Nebraska Lottery headquarters in Lincoln, Herber chose the cash option for a share that totaled $5,662,888.20. After withholding of state and federal taxes, Herber received $3,964,022.

Herber told Nebraska Lottery officials that he plays Powerball when the jackpot "gets big", and said that he learned of his win by watching the winning numbers on television. He said he has various plans for the prize.

Since the Nebraska Lottery began offering Powerball on July 21, 1994, there have been a total of eight jackpot winners sold in Nebraska. The previous Nebraska Lottery Powerball jackpot winners include:

Lyle and Dianne Fleharty of Hastings
$50.1 million, July 30, 1994

Connie Daily of North Platte
$50.5 million (split $101 million with an Indiana winner), November 30, 1994

Donald and Rita Polak of Prague
$8.1 million on April 19, 1995

Greg Klein of Milford
$2.5 million (split $5 million with an Indiana winner), April 24, 1996

Richard and Iris Johnson of Ayr
$18.5 million (cash option on $33 million), November 28, 1998

Marilyn and Charles Anderson of North Platte
$2.54 million (cash option on $10 million split with a Kentucky winner), November 3, 1999

Shirley Brewer of Omaha
$7.5 million (cash option on $14 million), August 26, 2000

Brian Rockey
Associate Marketing Administrator
Nebraska Lottery
402/471-6104