Powerball winners often grab their Powerball tickets as a matter of convenience, like this NC man who picked up a Powerball ticket on his way to pool league and won $1M.
Some people play each Powerball game in high anticipation of potential winnings to come. Others grab their Powerball tickets more casually and as a matter of convenience. But no matter how you play, the odds of winning are the same, and a big Powerball prize windfall is possible. Just ask Lloyd Armstrong, who stopped for gas on his way to his Friday night pool league. He bought a ticket and learned later that he was $1M richer!
Lloyd Armstrong is a Columbia, North Carolina, who looks forward to playing pool with his pool league on Friday nights. Last November, he stopped for gas one Friday night at the Duck Thru Food Store before heading to play. But Armstrong, while paying for gas, decided to also become a Powerball player. He grabbed a $2 Powerball ticket at the counter and went on about his evening of pool.
Come Sunday, Armstrong wasn’t thinking about playing pool. His wife and son both mentioned they had heard the news about a winning ticket announcement in Tyrell County. It was then Armstrong thought he’d better find and check his ticket. Standing in his living room, with that Friday night ticket purchase in hand, he realized five white ball numbers matched the drawing - a $1M Powerball prize. In a post-win interview, Armstrong said he and his wife took a picture of their ticket and celebrated in bewilderment, saying, “What are we going to do now?”
After a sleepless night, Armstrong claimed his prize on Monday at the headquarters in Raleigh, NC. After taxes, the Armstrongs took home $712,501. As a career insurance professional, Lloyd knew to reach out to a financial planner to help manage his windfall. In addition to paying some bills and donating to his church, the Armstrongs shared they were going to take a long-desired trip to Scotland with their winnings.
Part of what makes Powerball so fun to play is the convenience. Powerball tickets are sold at authorized retailers, usually gas stations, grocery stores, and convenience markets. And these retailers can be found in nearly every corner of the country. So, when people are already out shopping, grabbing snacks, or gassing up, they can conveniently pick up a Powerball ticket or two. And when you’re playing as a matter of convenience, you’re enjoying the same odds as any other player. As Lloyd Armstrong proves, those last-minute, impulse ticket purchases can be just as lucky as any other ticket sold.
The Powerball jackpot odds are one in 292,201,338. But non-jackpot prizes, ranging from $100 to $1M or higher with multipliers in play, have more attractive odds. And those cash prizes could be just as life-changing for some as the massive jackpots. There are lots of ways to play Powerball, too. Pick up a physical ticket at your local authorized retailer like Lloyd Armstrong did. You could also get in on a Powerball pool at work or with friends or buy Powerball tickets online. Choose your own specific numbers, or let the computer generate random numbers for you. Powerball playing just doesn’t get any easier!
Next time you’re out filling up at the pump, remember you can get in on the Powerball fun. Grab a Quick Pick on the go. And maybe, like Lloyd Armstrong, who was on his way to pool league, you’ll be a $1M winner. You could become the next featured Powerball winner story with your own tale of winning it big.