Three friends are splitting the $1 million Powerball prize
from a ticket sold last week in the midstate, Georgia Lottery officials
said Thursday.
Bruce Wilson and Sandford Watson of Macon and James Scoles of North Pole, Alaska, matched the first five numbers of the March 16 drawing: 3-7-21-44-53 from a $2 quick-pick ticket. They missed the Powerball number of 16.
Scoles, 56, told lottery officials his fortune cookie that day read “You’re going to win the lottery.”
Wilson, 59, who bought the ticket, said the friends had a longtime pact that they would share large winnings from a lottery if they ever won. Wilson watched the drawing of the numbers on TV that night and called his friends.
“I looked at it four or five times to make sure it was right,” said Wilson, who added that he originally thought he won $250,000 for getting the correct white balls, only to be told by his wife that it would be $1 million. “I said, ‘That’s even better.’ ”
Wilson and Watson waited until Thursday to claim their prize to allow Scoles to travel from Alaska to Georgia.
Wilson said he plans to pay some bills.
The winning ticket was bought at the Jet Food Store at 5588 Ga. 57. The store has a Macon address but is just inside the Twiggs County line.
Currently, the Powerball is up to $320 million, with the next drawing Saturday night.
Bruce Wilson and Sandford Watson of Macon and James Scoles of North Pole, Alaska, matched the first five numbers of the March 16 drawing: 3-7-21-44-53 from a $2 quick-pick ticket. They missed the Powerball number of 16.
Scoles, 56, told lottery officials his fortune cookie that day read “You’re going to win the lottery.”
Wilson, 59, who bought the ticket, said the friends had a longtime pact that they would share large winnings from a lottery if they ever won. Wilson watched the drawing of the numbers on TV that night and called his friends.
“I looked at it four or five times to make sure it was right,” said Wilson, who added that he originally thought he won $250,000 for getting the correct white balls, only to be told by his wife that it would be $1 million. “I said, ‘That’s even better.’ ”
Wilson and Watson waited until Thursday to claim their prize to allow Scoles to travel from Alaska to Georgia.
Wilson said he plans to pay some bills.
The winning ticket was bought at the Jet Food Store at 5588 Ga. 57. The store has a Macon address but is just inside the Twiggs County line.
Currently, the Powerball is up to $320 million, with the next drawing Saturday night.
