An Upstate woman’s life took a dramatic turn after she discovered she had won a substantial $150,000 prize in the Powerball lottery. The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, purchased her winning ticket at the Corner Store gas station in Gaffney, South Carolina. This life-changing moment unfolded during her lunch break on Friday, April 15, 2025, just days after she bought the ticket.
According to officials from the South Carolina Education Lottery, the woman first learned about her winnings when she visited the convenience store to have her ticket scanned. The clerk informed her that the ticket had won more than $500 but did not specify the exact amount. This prompted her to take the rest of the day off work to travel approximately 100 miles to the lottery’s claims center in Columbia to uncover the full details of her prize.
On her way to Columbia, she spoke with family and friends who mentioned that a ticket sold in Gaffney had won $150,000. This led her to wonder if she was indeed the lucky winner. When she arrived at the claims center, her excitement and nerves were palpable. "When I arrived with the ticket, I was so excited and nervous," she recalled.
Lottery staff confirmed that she was indeed the $150,000 winner, and the moment felt surreal for her. "It felt like a dream," she said, capturing the disbelief and joy that accompanies such a significant win.
The winning ticket matched all but one number drawn in the Powerball drawing on February 5, 2025, where the winning numbers were 19, 27, 30, 50, 62, and the Powerball number was 14. Because she opted for the Power Play feature, which costs an additional dollar, her initial $50,000 prize was tripled when the Power Play multiplier was revealed to be 3.
The odds of matching four white ball numbers and the red Powerball number are 1 in 913,129, making her win a rare achievement. With her newfound wealth, the winner announced her plans to buy a house, something she had never thought she could afford before this windfall.
For the Corner Store, selling the winning ticket brought its own rewards. The store received a commission of $1,500 for facilitating the sale of the winning ticket, a nice bonus for the local business.
The Powerball lottery continues to generate excitement across the nation, with the jackpot for the upcoming drawing on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, standing at an impressive $113 million. Those looking to try their luck must purchase tickets by 9:59 p.m. for the 10:59 p.m. drawing. Tickets are priced at $2, with additional options available for a higher cost. However, the odds of winning the grand prize are significantly steeper, at 1 in 293 million.
As the story unfolds, it highlights not only the thrill of winning but also the impact such a victory can have on an individual's life. The woman’s plans for her winnings reflect a common aspiration among lottery winners—investing in a home to secure a stable future. With lottery games like Powerball, dreams can turn into reality in an instant, leaving winners with stories to tell and new paths to explore.
This story serves as a reminder of the excitement and hope that lotteries bring to many people, as well as the potential for life-changing moments that can arise from a simple ticket purchase. As more players enter the game, the anticipation builds, and who knows? The next big winner could be just around the corner.
