A WALMART shopper made thousands of dollars after purchasing just one item at the store.
Joseph Riley of Maryland came up trumps after testing his luck in the Powerball lottery.
two
two
He bought a $10 quick-pick ticket before the April 6 drawing and won a $50,000 prize, per The Maryland Lottery.
Joseph put the ticket in a safe place and checked its numbers after a player won the jackpot in Oregon.
And three Maryland players matched four numbers and the Powerball.
“I saw I hit four white balls and the Powerball and I was excited,” he said.
Joseph admitted to checking his numbers several times just to make sure he was right.
He and his wife Sylvia only play Mega Millions and Powerball when the jackpot is at least $250 million.
The pair planned to spend the winnings on vacation and wanted to help their family.
Powerball players must defy odds of one in about 913,000 if they want to win a $50,000 prize.
The sum is given to whoever matches four numbers and the Powerball.
Game prizes range from $4 to the jackpot prize.
Players must defy odds of one in 292 million to win the jackpot.
The Powerball jackpot is $41 million, while the cash value is $19.4 million, after no player won the top prize on July 8.
This comes just days after a gambler in Ohio purchased a winning $138 million ticket.
The jackpot winner can receive their prize all at once or in gradual payments over decades, known as an annuity option.
Top US Lottery Winners
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, October 11, 2023, California.
- Unknown Winner – $1.602 Billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023, Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta of Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016.
- Winner unknown – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Winner unknown – he sued his child’s mother to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, January 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown Winner – $1.337 Billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Álvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 Billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Winner unknown – $842.4 million Powerball, January 1, 2024, from Michigan.
Just like Joseph, the gambler bought it at a Walmart supercenter.
The player placed all his trust in the machine, as his numbers were selected randomly.
Americans in 45 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands can play Powerball.
The draws take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot is estimated at $162 million after no player won the prize on Friday.
Lottery officials estimate there is a one in 302.6 million chance of winning the prize.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annual fee?
Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annual fee?
Both payment methods can affect how much money you receive from your prize.
Annuities are paid slowly in increments, usually over 30 years.
Lump sums are paid all at once, but in smaller amounts since taxes are withheld all at once. This means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam immediately. Many states also tax earnings.
Annuities can give winners time to create the financial infrastructure needed to receive a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the advantage of being taxed only once.
It’s also worth considering inflation when making a choice, as payments don’t adjust to the value of a dollar. This means you will likely receive less valuable money at the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have differing opinions on the possibility of get the lump sum or take the annual fee.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
