Woman wins $1M jackpot after buying Powerball ticket by mistake

ByGMA Team ABCNews logo
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Miriam Long matched the first five winning numbers in the March 18 Powerball drawing to win $1 million.
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A woman in Virginia is $1 million richer thanks to a self-described mistake.

"It's the best mistake of my life," Miriam Long told Virginia Lottery officials.


Long, who lives near Roanoke, Virginia, said she went to a local CVS in March to purchase a ticket for Mega Millions, which at the time had a nearly $900 million jackpot.

While using a Virginia Lottery machine to purchase a Mega Millions ticket, Long said she accidentally pressed a button for a Powerball ticket instead.

Luckily for Long, the Powerball ticket she mistakenly purchased matched the first five winning numbers in the Powerball drawing on March 18, which had an estimated $656 million jackpot.

The five matching numbers -- which were selected by the computer -- resulted in Long winning $1 million, according to the Virginia Lottery.


"My heart was pounding," Long said of her win. "It's overwhelming."

According to the Powerball website, Long was one of five $1 million winners across the country in the March 18 drawing.

There were no jackpot winners and one person in Florida was a $2 million winner.

The current Powerball jackpot is an estimated $31 million. The next drawing will take place on Wednesday.

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