Millie Bender didn’t know what “File Claim” meant as she checked her Powerball tickets. “It’s never said that before,” she said. But Millie quickly realized it meant she had won big!

Bender, a Billings resident, won $10,000 on a Powerball ticket she bought for the August 20 drawing. Bender bought her winning ticket from Van’s State Avenue IGA located at 4220 State Avenue in Billings.

Bender said she likes playing Lottery, especially Powerball. “I usually put the tickets in my bill-fold and forget about them! I had to clean out my purse, and checked a bunch of tickets at once,” Millie said. “I about had a heart attack when I had a winner. I couldn’t believe it,” she added.

Bender won $10,000 by matching four of the five white balls, and the red Powerball number.

A Powerball ticket sold for the April 9 drawing is rapidly approaching the final day for collection of a $10,000 prize. The ticket, sold at the Holiday StationStore located at 1278 East Highway 2 in Kalispell, matched four of the five white balls drawn—3-13-19-32-46—plus the Powerball, 18. The holder of this ticket has until October 9 to claim this prize.

“We encourage players to check their winning numbers frequently. Tickets are good for six months past the draw date,” explained George Parisot, Montana Lottery Director. “Most of our retailers have a piece of equipment called a Ticket Checker, where players can easily determine for themselves whether or not a ticket is a winner. If a ticket is a winner, the Ticket Checker directs them to present the ticket to the retailer. However, if a ticket is worth more than $599, winners need to present the ticket at the Lottery Headquarters for payment.”