Suzanna Shkreli, Commissioner of the Michigan Lottery | Michigan Lottery
Suzanna Shkreli, Commissioner of the Michigan Lottery | Michigan Lottery
A Detroit resident has won a $1 million Powerball prize after purchasing her first ticket. Sharonda Blunt, 44, said she decided to buy a ticket after a conversation with another customer while waiting in line at a store.
“I was talking to a guy in line at the store and he was telling me about the Powerball game and he bought a ticket, so I told the cashier to give me one too,” Blunt said. “A few days later, I was with my family and my aunt mentioned that a $1 million Powerball prize was won at the CVS in Grosse Pointe. It got me thinking, so I took out my ticket and had her read off the winning numbers.
“When she read five of my numbers, I grabbed her phone to see for myself and then started screaming and hollering when I saw I won $1 million! Winning a prize like this is truly a blessing.”
Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli commented on Blunt’s win: “Beginners luck proved true for Sharonda Blunt who purchased her first Powerball ticket ever after hearing about the game while in line at the store and then won a $1 million prize! The prize was won during the recent Powerball jackpot run where the jackpot reached a staggering $1.78 billion. During the jackpot run, Michigan Lottery players won more than $12.5 million in prizes.”
Blunt matched all five white balls—08-23-25-40-53—in the September 1 drawing to claim her prize. The winning ticket was purchased at CVS located at 18585 East Warren Avenue in Grosse Pointe.
Powerball tickets are available for $2 each from retailers across Michigan as well as online through MichiganLottery.com. Players can add options such as “Power Play” or “Double Play” for an extra cost per play, which offer chances to increase non-jackpot winnings or participate in an additional nightly drawing.
Drawings take place three times weekly—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday—and can be viewed live online at http://www.powerball.com. Tickets are sold in 45 states along with Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.