Ohio University student to compete for $50,000

Friends and family of Ohio University senior Sam Derse will be crowded around the television Saturday night to watch him try for a grand prize of $50,000 on the Ohio Lottery’s Cash Explosion game show.

The show, airing Saturday nights at 7:30 on WBNS CBS, gives away a grand prize of $50,000 each week, according to the Ohio Lottery’s Web site, (www.ohiolottery.com). If contestants win one week they are invited to return the following week to try for $100,000.

To become a contestant on the show, one must first buy a Cash Explosion ticket and have the word “entry” appear three times on the ticket. A drawing is held to select contestants from those sending in winning tickets.

Derse said he was quite surprised to be picked as a contestant for the show because he is not a regular lottery player.

“Let’s just say it was a Christmas miracle,” Derse said.

The odds of receiving a winning ticket are 1:1000 according to the Ohio Lottery’s Web site. Even if contestants do not win the grand prize of $50,000, they still get to keep all the money they win playing the game.

Derse said if he wins enough money he will take a trip to the Bahamas.        

To watch Sam play for $50,000, tune in to WBNS, channel 5 on CATVision and Time Warner Cable, at 7:30 Saturday night.

--Nick Juliano