STANWOOD, Mich. — A Mecosta County woman won a $1 million Powerball prize her first time ever playing.
Joni Thompson matched five white balls in the Nov. 8 drawing to win the $1 million prize.
The Stanwood woman bought her winning ticket at Country Corner Supermarket on Buchanan Road.
“I’d never played Powerball before, but I decided to purchase a ticket after seeing the jackpot was over $1 billion,” said Thompson. “After the drawing, I saw a social media post about a $1 million prize being won in Mecosta county, so went to the Lottery site to write down the winning numbers and then checked my ticket.
“When I realized I‘d matched five numbers and was the big winner, I started hyperventilating, screaming and crying! I had my son scan my ticket on his Lottery app to make sure I was reading it right. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to win $1 million; I am still speechless!”
The 54-year-old says she plans to use her winnings to build her new business. She plans to save the rest.
The Powerball jackpot was won on Nov. 8, with a ticket in California winning the record $2.04 billion jackpot.
