A Stanly County resident won $1 million in the Powerball drawing on New Year's Eve. Grace Landon, who has been playing for 20 years, purchased a $2 Quick Pick ticket at Friendly Mart in Albemarle, which matched all five white balls in the New Year’s drawing.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Landon initially faced disbelief from her husband, Hank, who didn’t believe her win. “He didn’t believe me at first,” she said. After double-checking the numbers, the couple visited the lottery headquarters in Raleigh, where Landon claimed her prize and took home $717,501 after taxes.
Landon plans to use the winnings to buy a house, settle some expenses, and possibly expand her plant collection, as reported by WBTV. This win marked the end of two decades of playing the Powerball. Her $1 million win was just one number short of the $181 million jackpot that was available that night.
The North Carolina Education Lottery celebrated the win, sharing the news on Instagram. Grace Landon’s story is sure to inspire other lottery players, given the odds of winning the full jackpot are 1 in 292 million, as noted in Queen City News.
