A North Carolina man’s Halloween tradition of selling pumpkins from his garden led to an unexpected windfall when he won a $150,000 (roughly ₹1.26 crore) scratch-off prize. Roy Story, the lucky winner, purchased the $ (₹417) Xtreme Cashword ticket at the Sun Farms store in Elizabeth City using $10 (₹835) received from selling a pumpkin.
“I raise a few pumpkins every year and sell them,” Story told UPI news. “Someone gave me $10 for a pumpkin and I used that to buy the ticket.” He selected the ticket because he said he loved “to play the crosswords.” “I play them all,” he said.
Story was initially unaware of the magnitude of his win. “I didn’t have my glasses on,” he admitted. “I thought it won $1,000 (₹83,500).” Once he realised he had hit the jackpot, he decided to invest the entire amount in a new truck.
Roy Story’s win adds to a string of impressive lottery prizes recently awarded across the country. In a similar vein, a woman from Frederick County, Maryland, went into shock after winning $500,000 (around ₹4 crore) from a Powerball Double Play ticket on September 25. The unidentified winner reportedly “couldn’t breathe,” and was “hyperventilating” and “in shock”, reported the MIrror.
“It doesn’t feel real. I like the numbers that came out. I am just so grateful,” she said. She plans to use her winnings to buy a new home and save for her children’s college education.
The Maryland woman, a loyal Powerball player since 2021, purchased her winning ticket at Wawa on Urbana Pike. As a reward for selling the ticket, the retailer received a $1,000 (₹83,500) bonus. This ticket marks the sixth winning Double Play ticket sold in Maryland this year and is the largest prize to date.
In yet another lottery story, Jose Duran, 62, from West Palm Beach, Florida, claimed a $3 million (₹25 crore approx) Mega Millions jackpot after spending just $3 (₹250) on the ticket. Duran’s numbers matched all five white balls during the April 11, 2023, draw. He purchased his winning ticket from Supermercados El Bodegon on Forest Hill Boulevard. The store will also receive a $5,000 (around ₹4 lakh) bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
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