Powerball winner: 'My wife told me I was never going to win' | News

A Lexington man has claimed a $2 million Powerball prize.

The newly-minted millionaire told lottery officials Thursday started out normal enough.  He was cooking breakfast for his family and listening to gospel music when he remembered he had a Powerball ticket out in his truck.  When he checked the numbers, he cried.

“I broke down,” he said, amazed the ticket he purchased from the Corner Pantry #133 on Farrow Rd. in Columbia was worth $2 million.

The winner, a supervisor in Lexington, successfully matched the first five numbers drawn Wednesday night (1, 27, 31, 45, and 48  PB: 5).  Had the red Powerball® number matched, the $110 million jackpot would have been his. He’s not disappointed with the results.  

The millionaire is thinking long term and investing the winnings so early retirement will be a real possibility.

For now, he’s going back to work.

“My wife told me I was never going to win,” he said.  “I had faith.”

Paying the extra $1 for PowerPlay® is what increased his would be $1 million prize to $2 million. 

The odds of winning $2 MILLION playing Powerball are 1 in 5,153,633.

Corner Pantry #133 in Columbia received a commission of $20,000 for selling the claimed ticket.

Since the start of the Lottery in 2002, more than one million college scholarships and grants have been awarded to South Carolina’s students. In all, more than $2.9 BILLION has been transferred to support educational programs in the Palmetto State.