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Amber Thompson won $1 million in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing. (Provided / November 29, 2012) |
A Buchanan family has come forward to claim its $1 million Powerball prize.
Amber Thompson bought five Powerball tickets at the Sali Mini Mart Discount Tobacco in Daleville. One of those tickets was one number off from winning the jackpot of $587.5 million.
It's the first time she has ever bought a Powerball ticket.
"I had my pen and paper ready to write them down in case I missed them so I could go through the tickets and when they started saying the number he said "I got those!", Thompson said.
The Thompsons have two kids: 6-year-old Hayden and 4-month-old Haylee. They plan to use the money toward their children's education.
Amber Thompson is a stay-at-home mother, and Marvin Thompson is a small business owner.
The banner announcing the $1 million win is already up outside the Sali Mini Mart Discount Tobacco store on Roanoke Road.
The owner says a Virginia Lottery representative was there Thursday morning and he was shocked to hear the good news.
"I was excited," says owner Sam Doura, "I was excited as if I hit myself actually which I wish anyway but still not bad. It's good for business."
Doura opened the shop two years ago. It's named after this daughter.
He hopes the big win will mean more business.
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Although no one won the Powerball jackpot in Virginia, four people are $1 million richer in the Commonwealth – including someone in Daleville.
The winning ticket in Daleville was sold at the Sali Mini Mart Discount Tobacco store at 1721 Roanoke Road. The other $1 million winners were sold in Arlington, Harrisonburg, and Richmond.
Another 15 tickets in Virginia each won $10,000.
The Virginia Lottery says sales from the Powerball drawing generated about $13.3 million in profit. Tickets began being sold for the Powerball on Oct. 3. All profit from Powerball sales in Virginia goes to schools in the Commonwealth.
The winning numbers from Wednesday night’s jackpot were 5-16-22-23-29, and the Powerball number was 6. The two winning tickets were sold in Arizona and Missouri.
