Michigan – A Vietnam veteran from Lansing believes his late wife guided him to a $150,000 Powerball prize.
Ernest Spagnuolo, 71, matched the four white balls and the Powerball – 03-06-09-17-56 PB: 25 – in Saturday’s drawing. That usually is a $50,000 prize, but he selected the Powerplay option that multiplied the prize by three, yielding a $150,000 prize. He bought his winning ticket at Gorman’s Food Market, located at 2800 North Grand River Avenue in Lansing.
“I checked my ticket online and saw I won $150,000, but I didn’t believe it,” said Spagnuolo. “I signed the ticket just in case I had a winner, and yelled for my son to come check my ticket.
“Once I realized it was real, I started thinking about how to spend it. Winning means I can go to the Vietnam Veterans Association Reunion in North Carolina this September.”
In addition to his trip, Spagnuolo plans to pay some bills and enjoy some camping and fishing this summer.
“I’m still giddy and in the clouds about winning! My wife passed away recently, and I know she was looking out for me on this,” Spagnuolo said.