LANSING, MI -- A Jackson County man is looking forward to a better life after he won a Powerball prize worth $150,000 recently. Brian Ellsworth, 65, says he didn’t know what was happening when he scanned his Powerball ticket for the drawing held on April 3.
“I got out of work early, so I stopped at the store on my way home and purchased a few Powerball tickets for the drawing that night,” Ellsworth said. “When I took the tickets to the store a few days later to check them, one of them came up with a message to file a claim at the Lottery office. I had never seen that message before, so I wasn’t sure what it meant. I scanned it a few more times and then finally asked the clerk what was going on. She scanned the ticket and told me I was a big winner!”
Ellsworth matched four white ball and the Powerball -- 11-38-41-62-65, PB: 15 -- in the drawing to win a $50,000 prize. He’d also elected to play the Power Play option, which increased his winnings to $150,000. He bought his winning ticket at the Save Time store, located at 2045 East South Street in Jackson.
With his winnings, Ellsworth says he plans on buying a travel trailer, completing some home renovations and saving the remainder.
“It has been the longest week of my life holding onto this ticket, so I feel giddy to be at the Lottery office claiming my prize! Winning is going to make life easier for me and my wife,” Ellsworth said.
For the latest on Michigan Lottery, check out the official Michigan Lottery site, which also offers more information on instant tickets, raffles and other lottery games.
The last players from Michigan to win a Mega Millions or Powerball jackpot is the Wolverine FLL lottery club which claimed a $1.05 billion jackpot in March 2021. With their winnings, the group plans to give back to the community.
And while they were lucky winners, it’s smart for players to check their tickets immediately as a Mega Millions winner worth $1 million sold in Southfield in 2023 went unclaimed. The money instead went to the state’s School Aid Fund.
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