Prize triples after Union County man makes snap decision on Powerball ticket
A “last minute” decision to buy a Powerball ticket online paid off big for a Union County man, after he opted to add on the multiplier, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery.
That meant Stanley Thompson’s $50,000 prize turned into a $150,000, lottery officials said in a news release.
It happened in the Dec. 10 drawing, but Thompson didn’t step forward to claim the money until Friday, Jan. 9.
The prize came to $108,016 after federal and state tax withholdings, lottery officials said.
“I almost didn’t buy it, but I decided to at the last minute,” Thompson said in the news release. “It’s starting to sink in more now.”
Like many people, Thompson chooses to play Powerball when the prize gets huge, and it topped $1.8 billion in December.
His ticket beat odds of 1 in 913,129.18 when it matched numbers on four white balls and the red Powerball, according to the game.
“He plans to use his winnings to pay some bills and invest,” lottery officials said.
As of Jan. 12, the Powerball jackpot stood at a $137 million. Odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292 million.