Woman paid ‘a couple of dollars for a dream’ and won a big NC Powerball prize
A woman’s $2 ticket bought Feb. 9 at a convenience store near Lake Norman won a big Powerball prize, N.C. lottery officials said Wednesday.
The winner remained a mystery for weeks, until Crystal Jones of Mooresville claimed her $1 million prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.
Jones said she likes playing Powerball for the chance to win big, according to a lottery news release.
“I don’t mind paying a couple of dollars for a dream,” she said.
Jones bought her Quick Pick ticket at the Fast Phil’s convenience store on Charlotte Highway in Mooresville. The store is at the intersection with Waterlynn Road, just north of Interstate 77 exit 33 at the lake.
Jones matched the numbers on the five white balls, beating odds of 1 in 11.6 million, according to the lottery’s Powerball page.
“I saw the numbers on the TV, and I was in disbelief,” Jones said. “I got out of bed and just started calling everybody.”
“Feels realer and realer now”
After taxes, Jones took home $720,101, according to the lottery.
“It just feels realer and realer now,” Jones said.
Jones said she’ll pay bills with the money.
Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot was $218 million as an annuity and $101.6 million in cash. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
Powerball is among six lottery games in North Carolina where players can buy tickets at retailers, through Online Play on the lottery website and on the lottery app.