Reston man turns $1 add on into $100K Powerball payday
Reston, VA — A Northern Virginia man doubled his lottery winnings with a single add-on, turning a standard Powerball prize into a $100,000 payout after matching key numbers in a March drawing.
Bharat Chatani purchased his ticket online for the March 16 Powerball drawing and matched four of the first five numbers along with the Powerball. The combination typically yields a $50,000 prize, but his decision to spend an extra dollar on the Power Play option doubled the total to $100,000.
Lottery officials said Chatani used the Easy Pick feature, allowing the system to randomly generate his numbers. The winning numbers for the drawing were 7, 10, 20, 47, and 52, with a Powerball of 20.
Powerball drawings are held three times a week, and the odds of matching all six numbers to win the jackpot stand at 1 in 292.2 million. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 25.
The Virginia Lottery allows players to purchase tickets online for games including Powerball, Mega Millions, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Cash 5 with EZ Match, and Millionaire for Life, with participation limited to individuals 18 or older located within the state.
Lottery proceeds continue to support public education, with more than $901 million contributed statewide in the last fiscal year. Fairfax County, where Chatani resides, received over $56 million in funding.
Resources for gambling-related concerns are available through the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline at 888-532-3500.
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Key Points
- Reston man wins $100,000 in Powerball with Power Play option
- Extra $1 purchase doubled standard $50,000 prize
- Winning ticket was generated using Easy Pick numbers