Grandma’s Surprise Hug Sparks a $1M Powerball Win

The winner didn’t even plan on making a big deal of it — until his grandma showed up out of nowhere.
While on a quick lunch break, he stopped by Road Ranger in Rochelle to grab a Powerball ticket, and that’s when everything changed. He spotted a car that looked exactly like his grandma’s… and sure enough, she was inside the store. She rushed over, hugged him, and the rest became one unforgettable jackpot story.

NEED TO KNOW:

• An anonymous player nicknamed himself “Grandma is My Lucky Charm.”

• He matched all five numbers in the October 11 Powerball drawing to win $1 million.

• He screamed, hyperventilated, and double-checked the ticket before believing it.

• He’s now planning to share the money — including buying grandma a brand-new car.

After he scanned the ticket again and saw the same winning numbers — 13, 16, 18, 20, 27 — reality hit.
“I started screaming and hyperventilating,” he told lottery officials. His grandma’s first reaction? “Are you sure you won?”

Along with the $1 million prize, his multi-line ticket even tossed in an extra $4 win for good measure.

Now he’s sticking with his nickname because, as he put it, “She’s my good luck charm!” And his winning store will snag a $10,000 bonus, too.