FALLS CHURCH, Va. — A Virginia grocery store employee's mistake during Powerball jackpot fever earlier this month ended up turning into a $7 million windfall.
Michael Donnelly was ringing up Powerball tickets for customers at the Harris Teeter store in Falls Church. But for one transaction, he accidentally punched the wrong button on the lottery terminal and printed a Cash4Life ticket that the customer didn't want.
Donnelly ended up buying the "mistake" ticket for the January 7th drawing and it turned out to be winning ticket for the game's top prize. According to Virginia Lottery, the odds of winning the top prize for Cash4Life are 1 in 21.8 million.
The Woodbridge man chose the one-time lump sum of $7 million over the option of receiving $1,000 per day for the rest of his life.
After he called his wife about the big jackpot win, she told her husband, "If that's true, you have to come home because I'm about to have a heart attack!"
Harris-Teeter received a $50,000 bonus from Virginia Lottery for selling the winning ticket.
"It still hasn't hit me yet," Donnelly said.
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Congrats to the grocery store worker and i bet that customer that turned down the ticket is full of regret .He or she should have accepted the ticket .It was a blessing in disguise .
Congratulation to Michael Donnelly. To win on a mistake ticket. Wow was he blessed!
This is precisely why I always buy "mine and other peoples' mistake tickets". The store clerks love it. I do not want to be the chump who refused a blessing in disguise just because of a few chump change.
How can I make a mistake on purpose ?
Can anyone come up with a system for making mistakes ?
Was the mistake a QP ?
I wish I would have a mistake turn into a win! Congrats to the winner. Enjoy.
If it was a self pick there would most likely have been a play slip, which means there wouldn't have been a mistake.
So, yes, the mistake was very likely a QP. He simply pushed the wrong button on the terminal.
Good for him, that is awesome! Bet that customer who refused the ticket is kicking himself daily. I always take the mistakes too, because you never know!
And that is why I have kept every "Oops". Although, I am still waiting for one of them to have that kind of an outcome!
Congrats to the winner!
I bet he's not going to work today, I'd retire myself and wife. We'll travel and run the family business. Congrats.... Now he has real money to play with.
Congratulations
I remember Mum telling me donkey's years ago about a customer in WA state where they retired to. This customer refused a 'mistake' ticket. Clerk had to buy it and won $7 or $8 million. Love good Karma stories like these.
That is a awesome win. I always ask the store if they have any mistake tickets cause you never know...
Be the fly on the wall..
Michael :Sir, l accidentally punched the wrong ticket for you, totally my fault, however l need to ask, do you want this ticket?
Customer: Does it look like a Powerball ticket to you, does it look like l came in here looking for pennies on my Dollar?
Michael: No problem Sir, just had to ask. .
Congratulations Michael. ....