A Baltimore couple, affectionately known as “Childhood Sweethearts,” is set to embark on their retirement journey after clinching a $100,000 windfall, the third prize in an October 2nd Powerball drawing.
Their winning strategy involved accurately guessing four white balls, initially securing a $50,000 share of the Powerball jackpot. However, Childhood Sweethearts upped the ante by incorporating the Power Play multiplier, effectively doubling their winnings to a substantial $100,000.
Their winning combination had a sentimental touch, derived from their birthdays, birth months, and the addresses where their love story began. The Childhood Sweethearts, who’ve celebrated over 50 years of marriage, have been enjoying Lottery games together for as long as they can remember.
The Childhood Sweethearts couple happily expressed, “We’ve won plenty of times over the years, but never anything like this.” The couple feels that their third-tier Powerball victory has significantly alleviated the stress surrounding their impending retirement.
Their winning ticket was purchased at Crestmount Wine & Spirits in Jessup, Maryland, and the lucky Powerball numbers for the draw were 22, 26, 39, 47, and 63. The Powerball itself was 12, with a 3X Power Play multiplier.
While the grand Powerball jackpot or the Match 5 + Power Play $2 million prizes remained elusive during this drawing, California, Florida, and Washington celebrated Match 5 $1 million winners. It’s worth noting that while the allure of a $173 million jackpot may be tempting, the chances of securing Powerball’s top prize are indeed quite slim, with odds estimated at approximately 1 in 292.2 million.
In the broader spectrum, the overall odds of claiming any Powerball prize across all tiers are approximately 1 in 24.9.
Besides, Childhood Sweethearts, two more fortunate New York residents also had cause to celebrate as they visited the lottery headquarters to collect their million-dollar prizes. Both individuals correctly guessed all five white balls, securing the second prize in the Powerball jackpot.
Cirilo Rodriguez of the Bronx emerged as a $1 million winner after acquiring his ticket from AMG Retail in Mount Vernon, with the winning numbers being 18, 42, 44, 62, 65, and a Powerball of 23 in the August 5th draw. Following the requisite deductions, Rodriguez received a lump sum payment of $612,240.
On the same day, Felecia Selmensberger of Lancaster paid a visit to New York Lottery headquarters to claim her $1 million prize. She accurately guessed the first five Powerball numbers from the September 2nd draw, which were 25, 38, 42, 66, and 67.
While she just missed the Powerball, which was 19, Selmensberger received a one-time lump sum payment of $651,000 after mandatory withholdings. Her winning ticket was purchased at Obsidio AAA in Buffalo, New York.
Powerball winning numbers for the referenced draw on November 1st, 2023, were 22, 26, 39, 47, and 63, with the Powerball number being 12 and a 3X Power Play multiplier.