Tammy Weadock and here husband, Terry, smile after claiming a $1 million Powerball prize.
An Onsted woman had to pull her car over when she learned she had won $1 million playing the Michigan Lottery’s Powerball game.
Tammy Weadock and her husband, Terry, were driving home from their small business, Dominant Systems, located in Ann Arbor, when they got the life-changing call from the Lottery’s online game service center: Tammy had matched the five white balls drawn – 03-15-29-54-57 – in the July 13 Powerball drawing to win $1 million.
“My first thought was that one of my kids was playing a joke one me,” said Ms. Weadock. “I even asked if the person calling was a friend of my son or daughter.”
Meanwhile, Terry was pacing on the roadside while Tammy continued the phone call.
“Terry walked around the car about a dozen times and finally stopped at the front of the car and I read his lips as he asked me ‘How much did you win?’” said Ms. Weadock. “When I told him it was $1 million he started screaming and running around the car.”
The Weadocks visited Lottery headquarters Thursday to claim the big prize. With their winnings, they plan to pay some bills, invest in their small business, and take a family vacation.
“We’ve owned our business for 30 years and it can be stressful. Since we learned we won this money we’ve been thanking God for the blessing and planning how to spend it to make sure we do the right thing,” Ms. Weadock said.
Weadock is the second player to win a $1 million prize through the Lottery’s online game platform. Last year, Pamela Rawson, of Allegan County, won $1 million playing the online instant game Diamond Payout. In 2015, Lottery players won about $127.7 million playing games online.
To celebrate Weadock’s historic win, the Lottery is offering new online players and players who update their Players Club account $5 in free play beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. To take advantage of this special offer, players should visit MichiganLottery.com to get access to the limited time promo code. Players who update their account will have the $5 free play automatically added to their account balance.
Saturday’s Powerball jackpot stands at $390 million. The cash option for the jackpot is about $270 million.
If a Michigan player win’s Saturday’s $390 million jackpot, it would be the largest Powerball prize won in the state. On Aug. 15, 2012, Donald Lawson, of Lapeer, won a $337 million Powerball jackpot. Lawson’s jackpot holds the record for the largest Lottery prize ever won in Michigan.
Powerball has been a lucrative game for Michigan Lottery players in 2016. Ten Michigan players, including the Weadocks, have won the game’s $1 million prize.
Players still have plenty of time to purchase tickets for a chance to win the big jackpot. Players may buy Powerball tickets for Saturday’s drawing at Lottery retailers throughout the state and online at MichiganLottery.com until 9:45 p.m.
Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1.
The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. and may be watched live online at: http://www.powerballlive.com/powerball. Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
