In the months of January and February 2016, two online lottery
players from theLotter won the $1 million US Powerball second prize. We
hope that this winning streak continues, and with that in mind, we take a
look back at the story of theLotter's very first Powerball millionaire.
A record jackpot inspires a future winner
B.U. from the UK was one of many around the globe who watched as Mega
Millions set a world record with their $656 million jackpot in March
2012 (a record that stood until Powerball's $1.6 billion jackpot in
January 2016). The Mega Millions frenzy inspired B.U. to seek out ways
to buy US lottery tickets online. A month after Mega Millions' historic
win, B.U. joined theLotter and immediately started to play Powerball online.
His dream of hitting it big quickly became a reality when the lucky
player won US Powerball’s second place $1 million prize after playing
just five entries in the lottery 2012/32 draw on 21 April 2012!
During an interview after his windfall, the lucky winner confessed, “One
of the things that got me interested is that I heard about the Mega
Millions on the radio. That got me interested in American lotteries, and
that’s what led to me go on the internet to find out how to play.”
B.U. purchased his winning ticket with a Subscription entry which
automatically entered him into Powerball’s exciting biweekly draws.
Placing his faith in Lady Luck, B.U. used the Quick Pick option that
randomly selected numbers for him – a decision he would certainly be
thankful for, as five draws later these numbers turned him into a
millionaire!
Rules changes create a new lottery millionaire
theLotter’s customer support team
immediately contacted B.U. following the draw, and the prize-winning
British player, whose identity will remain anonymous,
reported that it took some time to recover from the shock and accept
the windfall was truly his! “I thought it was a joke,” B.U. said.
However, after the customer support team confirmed all the details the
Sunday after the draw, B.U. was finally able to enjoy the win. In his
words, “I was certainly woken up properly that day!”
B.U.’s numbers weren’t the only lucky thing,
his timing was as well. In January 2012, US Powerball officials
instituted important changes that would shape the amount of B.U.’s new
fortune. Before 15 January 2012, second place winners were only allotted
$200,000. However, with the new set US Powerball prize category rules in place, B.U. was able to take home five times that amount with five correct guesses!
The only downside? Had B.U. taken one more
step and clicked the Power Play multiplier option, he would have doubled
his $1 million win to an even more impressive $2 million prize!
A winning journey from the UK to the US
B.U. enjoyed a trip to Florida, where the winner picked up his ticket
from theLotter’s local office and claimed his winnings. Upon returning
home, B.U. made a smart decision and chose to consult a financial
advisor in order to make sure that he and his wife enjoy their newfound
fortune for as long as possible!
B.U. was happy with his new millionaire
status, but said he would continue to play in the hopes of winning an
even bigger prize someday! When asked what he would tell fellow lotto
players, he said with a laugh, “Not to give up because you never know
when the big one will come. It will always come as a surprise!”