In this Powerball story, a man wins a whopping $1 million when he plays sentimental numbers that happened to be his late father’s favorites.
There are some Powerball winner stories out there that just tug at the heartstrings. There are incredible rags-to-riches tales of single moms hitting it big and those living paycheck to paycheck who win life-changing jackpots. And it's not uncommon for many of these Powerball winners to also make the headlines for their generosity and philanthropy, with sizable donations and gift-giving efforts. It's wonderful to see just how lives can be changed in an instant with the right selection of Powerball numbers.
This particular Powerball story is a little different. And in this unique series of events, a man chooses his late father’s lucky numbers to play Powerball. Whether it was coincidence or something else altogether, those numbers proved to be lucky indeed, to the tune of $1 million.
Losing His Father and Playing Powerball
Kevin Halterman had recently lost his father a few months prior, who just happened to be a long-time player of Powerball. So one day, it occurred to Kevin that he, too, could maybe buy a few tickets to honor the memory of his dad. And in choosing the numbers to play, Kevin sifted through his father's old things and dug up some of those old, non-winning tickets for inspiration. He identified some of the numbers his dad played most often and decided those would be his chosen digits, as well. Kevin was off to play Powerball in memory of his father.
Buying the Powerball Ticket
Kevin Halterman went down to his local Family Fare store, located on Reynolda Road in nearby Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With his late father’s favorite numbers in hand, Kevin purchased his two-dollar Powerball ticket. The act of playing alone felt familiar, like it was the right thing to do, and somehow served as a kind of homage to his dad.
Even though he knew his actual chances of winning were slim, about one in 11.6 million to be exact, he felt good doing something his dad always enjoyed doing. Buying a Powerball ticket and playing his dad's regular picks felt good in a way and helped to slightly ease his recent loss. Kevin went on about his day, never once assuming much more would come of the Powerball playing experience.
The Big Surprise Win
That Powerball ticket proved to be lucky after all. Kevin Halterman beat the odds, with his late father’s most frequently played numbers, to win a cool $1 million prize. His winning Powerball ticket matched all five of the white balls in that drawing, five, eight, 17, 27, and 28. He wasn't just elated about the win, either. Kevin felt gratitude that extended right up into heaven!
A Little Help from Above, Maybe?
Kevin claimed his prize by visiting the lottery headquarters in nearby Raleigh, NC. After tax withholdings, he walked away with $707,506. And while winning this Powerball prize didn’t make his heart hurt any less about having lost his father, Kevin indeed felt blessed somehow. “I’m lucky,” Kevin told the media and went on to admit his belief that his dad must have wanted to help him out a little.
Kevin Halterman took a chance to play a little Powerball, with no real intentions of ever actually winning. He only wanted to remember his late father by doing something he knew his father enjoyed. And playing his dad's most frequently played roster of numbers was enough to make Kevin happy. Little did he know, his dad's favorite numbers would also swell up his bank account.
This Powerball story just serves as a reminder that playing those sentimental numbers can pay off big. So, whether you’re choosing numbers based on birthdays or a loved one’s cherished favorites, it’s possible you, too, could have a winning combination.