RALEIGH — An Iredell County woman won a $1 million prize after purchasing a $2 Powerball ticket.
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Crystal Jones, of Mooresville, claimed her winnings at lottery headquarters Tuesday after matching all five white balls in the Feb. 9 drawing.
Jones purchased the lucky Quick Pick ticket from Fast Phil’s on Charlotte Highway in Mooresville. The odds of matching all five white balls to win $1 million are 1 in 11.6 million.
Jones, a resident of Mooresville, said she enjoys playing Powerball for the opportunity to win a large prize.
“I don’t mind paying a couple of dollars for a dream,” Jones said.
After the winning numbers were announced on television, she said the realization did not sink in immediately.
“I saw the numbers on the TV and I was in disbelief,” Jones said. “I got out of bed and just started calling everybody.”
Following required federal and state tax withholdings, Jones took home a total of $720,101.
She officially received her prize check at lottery headquarters on Tuesday.
“It just feels realer and realer now,” Jones said.
She stated that she plans to use the winnings to pay some of her bills.
The Powerball jackpot for the drawing on Wednesday is estimated at a $218 million annuity or $101.6 million in cash. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
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