Nov. 17 (UPI) — A Michigan woman who bought her first-ever Powerball ticket this month ended up winning a $1 million jackpot.
Joni Thompson, 54, of Stanwood, told Michigan Lottery officials that beginner’s luck was on her side when she bought a Powerball ticket for the Nov. 8 drawing from the Country Corner Supermarket in Stanwood.
“I’d never played Powerball before, but I decided to purchase a ticket after seeing the jackpot was over $1 billion,” Thompson said. “After the drawing, I saw a social media post about a $1 million prize being won in Mecosta county, so went to the lottery site to write down the winning numbers and then checked my ticket.”
Thompson discovered she had scored a $1 million prize.
“When I realized I’d matched five numbers and was the big winner, I started hyperventilating, screaming, and crying! I had my son scan my ticket on his lottery app to make sure I was reading it right. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to win $1 million; I am still speechless,” she said.
Thompson said she plans to invest some of her winnings into her new business and the rest will go into savings.
