In this heartwarming Powerball winner story, a son’s gift turns into a massive $1M Powerball jackpot prize for his mother.
Most moms will tell you they have everything they need; no gifts are necessary. But what if that gift turns out to be a $1M prize? That’s something most moms DON’T have! This is exactly what happened to mom Maria Roldan, who cashed in on a ticket gifted to her by her son. Keep reading to learn more about her incredible Powerball winner’s story!
Maria’s son was headed out of town and was concerned that his purchased Powerball ticket might get forgotten since the drawing would be held while he was away. He decided to hand that ticket over to his mom, Maria, as a gift. She tucked the ticket away in a safe place and waited for the drawing to be held.
Once Maria realized all the numbers on her ticket matched the winning numbers drawn, she called her son, and they headed to the State Commission to cash in their ticket. Neither knew exactly what the winning amount was, and when the Powerball representatives revealed to Maria that her ticket was the ONLY ticket that got all five white ball numbers correct, her prize was $1 million! Her son couldn’t believe his ears and asked the Powerball representatives if they were joking, to which they replied, no joke here; your mom is the big winner!
Playing Powerball has never been easier! With several purchase options available, you can play Powerball from the comfort of your own home, office, or even your car! Most participating states have online play, cell phone apps, or in-person purchasing at any authorized Powerball retail outlet. Players can choose their numbers or opt for the Quick Pick, where the computer chooses your numbers. Drawings are three times per week, and the winning numbers can be accessed online or by watching the drawing live on local television outlets.
Powerball players have several ways to win money. Participating states have different rules and regulations about securing any winning prize money, making it important to check your state’s Powerball terms. However, gameplay is universal and involves a series of randomly selected numbered white balls and the red Powerballs. By matching just the Powerball number, winners can expect to collect a minimum of $4. Match the first five numbers, as Maria did, and that’s a $1M prize. Match all five numbers AND the Powerball number, and you win the Powerball jackpot. Winners must redeem their tickets in the state in which they were purchased.
Maria wasn’t the only winner in this Powerball drawing. The convenience store responsible for selling Maria's son the ticket also won! Because this retail outlet sold the winning ticket, they will receive a $10,000 bonus. Some of the biggest winners in Maria’s home state of Virginia are the schools! All ticket sale profits go right back into the school systems, accounting for a whopping 10% of Virginia’s school budget in 2023!
Not every Powerball ticket gift you give will be a jackpot or multi-million dollar winner. The odds of winning a $1M prize are roughly one in 11,688,053, while the Powerball jackpot winning odds are one in 292.2 million. But this Powerball winner story shows just how incredible and life-changing it could be, only adding to the excitement and fun. Maria’s gift turned into more than just a fun sentiment of gameplay. And it’s a reminder that because there’s always a chance to win big, Powerball tickets always make great gifts! In Maria's case, that last-minute gift from her son proved to be a whopper and hard to beat!