A man recently won the $1 million Powerball prize using a set of lucky numbers from Zoltar from 30 years ago.
Stephen Huesgen, a 56-year-old from Fraser, Michigan, won a $1 million Powerball prize using lucky numbers printed on a fortune from a Las Vegas Zoltar machine from 30 years ago that he’s been playing ever since.
Huesgen matched all five white Powerball balls using the numbers 24, 29, 32, 49, and 63 in the April 22 drawing after purchasing his ticket online. Huesgen plans to pay off his mortgage, pay off his car, and secure his retirement with his Powerball win.
The morning after the Powerball drawing, Huesgen said he was notified he was a winner. When he found out he’d won a $1 million Powerball prize, he yelled to his wife, “Is this real?” He said he didn’t think it'd fully register that he won until he received the check.
An experience like Huesgen’s is the perfect story for how Powerball players can use unique ways to pick their numbers.
Much like Huesgen, many Powerball players have a weekly tradition revolving around Powerball. Whether it's how they pick numbers or how often they play, some people find the weekly routine of buying tickets to be an important part of their life.
If you follow the Powerball, you may be familiar with Powerball players using sentimental or eccentric ways to choose their numbers. They’re in good company. For millions, their weekly Powerball tradition includes quirky ways to pick numbers and how they buy tickets.
Huesgen is just one of many who’ve found his winning numbers from a special place. Despite the sentimental, silly, or totally random way Powerball players choose numbers, experts say that every number has the same odds of hitting the Jackpot - 1 in 292.2 million.
While we mostly only see multi-million-dollar jackpots in the news, there seem to be more stories about “small win” Powerball stories.
“Small win” stories are getting more attention because they can occur more frequently than the big Jackpot. Winning a smaller sum feels like it’s more within reach, and the payouts are still exciting - it's something people can imagine happening to them.
However, smaller-tier prizes, such as a $50,000 payout, can still change lives. For example, a recent win from South Bend, Indiana…
Ryan Gorski, from South Bend, Indiana, was completing the simple task of transferring items from his old wallet to a new one when he noticed a few Powerball tickets lying around. He scanned them and found that one lucky ticket was worth $50,000.
Gorski buys a ticket every week, having dreamt of winning the Powerball for years. His family was excited for him when it finally happened.
With the winnings, Gorski and his wife plan to take a trip to Florida to visit Disney World and Universal Studios for fun and to purchase a new car.
Sometimes, Powerball stories start in small, unexpected ways, like transferring a wallet, and end with an exciting payout.
Read the full story here.
If you happen to get winning numbers, whether from Zoltar or a random pick, claiming your prize is time-sensitive. Some states have deadlines to claim your winning ticket ranging from 90 days to a full year from the drawing. Be sure to know your state's deadline and submit it in a timely manner so you don’t lose out on your prize.
Huesgen’s story proves a lucky number from Zoltar may take decades for it to finally pay off. No matter what your Powerball traditions are, they’re fun. Whether you have a decades-old fortune, AI-generated numbers, or a weekly Powerball tradition, be sure to have fun playing and to play responsibly!