LANSING, MI -- Jennifer Horton doesn’t play Powerball all that often so maybe that’s why she neglected for over a month to check the ticket she bought in January. But the 41-year-old Mount Pleasant resident is sure glad she found the ticket, because she soon learned it was worth $150,000.
“I buy Powerball tickets every once in a while,” Horton said. “I don’t usually play the Power Play, but when I was purchasing my ticket, the worker suggested adding it, so I did.
“I forgot all about the ticket and found it in my purse about a month later. I scanned it at the store and got a message to visit the lottery office. When I realized it was a winning ticket of $150,000, I didn’t believe it at first. I thought there was no way I spent $4 and won $150,000. It was a crazy feeling to be holding a ticket worth so much money!”
Horton matched four white balls and the Powerball -- 16-31-34-47-65, PB: 10 -- for the drawing held on Jan. 20 to win a $50,000 prize. Because she elected to play Power Play option, it increased her win to $150,000. Horton bought her ticket at the Marathon gas station, located at 10010 East Pickard Street in Mount Pleasant.
After claiming her prize recently, Horton said she plans on using the money to pay bills and to take her family on a vacation.
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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