Danny Johnson said a friend pressured him into buying his first-ever Powerball ticket and he ended up winning $150,000. Photo courtesy of Virginia Lottery
Johnson said a friend started urging him to buy a Powerball ticket when the jackpot reached historic levels in early November, so he gave in and bought a ticket for the Nov. 5 drawing from the lottery’s website.
“I looked at the winning numbers and said, ‘Hey I’ve got a few of those,'” Johnson recalled. “I didn’t know how much I’d won because I never play.”
The first-time player’s ticket ended up matching four numbers and the Powerball in the drawing, earning him a $50,000 prize that was multiplied to $150,000 thanks to his selecting the Power Play option.
Johnson said he has no immediate plans for his winnings, but he is considering a surprise gift for the friend who pressured him into buying his ticket.