National

Mom opens Powerball ticket on Christmas day and discovers ‘life-changing’ prize in DC

A Washington. D.C. mom won a Powerball prize when her husband gave her a ticket for Christmas.
A Washington. D.C. mom won a Powerball prize when her husband gave her a ticket for Christmas. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A husband in Washington, D.C., got an early start on his Christmas shopping — and it paid off in a big way.

Pamela V.’s husband bought her a Powerball ticket for the Dec. 2 drawing and held onto it until Christmas Day, when he gave it to her as a gift, according to a Jan. 3 news release from the DC Lottery.

When the couple checked the ticket on Christmas, they learned the ticket was a $2 million winner, officials said.

“We are elated to find out we won, it’s life-changing,” Pamela told officials. “We have kids in college so this will definitely help with college tuition.”

The couple plans to save most of their “life-changing” prize, they told officials.
The couple plans to save most of their “life-changing” prize, they told officials. DC Lottery

Pamela’s husband bought the ticket at Safeway in Capitol Hill, according to officials. The ticket matched five winning numbers plus the Power Play option, which doubled the $1 million prize.

The couple told officials they plan to save most of their prize and maybe take a family trip to the Caribbean.

The prize marks the DC Lottery’s highest Powerball prize in 2023, officials said.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Mom opens Powerball ticket on Christmas day and discovers ‘life-changing’ prize in DC."

Moira Ritter
mcclatchy-newsroom
Moira Ritter covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Georgetown University where she studied government, journalism and German. Previously, she reported for CNN Business.
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