Rochester Million Dollar Powerball Winner to Play Again

$1 Million Ticket Sold at Rochester Hills Meijer Store

Jeffery Grayson, 56, won $1 million playing Powerball with a ticket purchased at the Meijer store, located at 3175 South Rochester Road, in Rochester Hills. Grayson matched the first five numbers drawn in Saturday (January 9) night’s drawing to win his big prize: 16-19-32-34-57.

“We were standing in the checkout line at about 8 p.m. when my wife, Linda, reminded me that we needed get our Powerball tickets,” said Grayson. “I stepped over to the service counter and bought two tickets, but only gave Linda one of the tickets.”

On Sunday morning, Linda got up and checked the ticket Jeffery had given her.

“Linda told me she checked the ticket and it wasn’t a winner, but that someone who bought a ticket at the Rochester Hills Meijer had won $1 million,” said Grayson. “As soon as I heard that, my heart started racing!

“When Linda left the room, I checked my ticket and started screaming for her to come back in! Neither of us could believe what we were seeing. We took a photo of the ticket and sent it to a few people and asked them to confirm we had won $1 million.”

On Sunday the couple walked around in a daze not knowing if what happened was real.

“It’s just so hard to believe we won $1 million,” said Grayson. “We were trying for the jackpot, but were just as thrilled to win $1 million!”

Next Step for the Winners

The couple plans to use the money to pay off debt, invest for their retirement, and buy a few Powerball tickets for Wednesday night’s record $1.3 billion jackpot.

“We’ll play again on Wednesday,” said Grayson. “Winning $1 million is certainly life changing, but winning $1.3 billion would turn our lives upside down, in a good way!”

Saturday night’s $949.8 million Powerball jackpot had Lottery players swarming retailers for a chance at the record prize. No jackpot-winning tickets were sold for Saturday night’s drawing, and the jackpot now stands at a record $1.3 billion. It is the largest jackpot in world lottery history.

The previous record for a U.S. lottery jackpot was $656 million. That Mega Millions jackpot was won on March 30, 2012, and split between three winning tickets (Kansas, Illinois, and Maryland).

The former record Powerball jackpot was $590.5 million, won on May 18, 2013, by Gloria C. Mackenzie, of Zephyrhills, Fla. Powerball ticket sales began April 19, 1992. Michigan began selling Powerball tickets on Jan. 31, 2010.

The largest Powerball jackpot ever won in Michigan was won on Aug. 15, 2012, by Donald Lawson, of Lapeer. Lawson won a $337 million Powerball jackpot that holds the record for the largest Lottery prize ever won in Michigan.

To Play

Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to five times may be added to any Powerball play for only $1.

The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday nights, and may be watched live online at: http://www.powerballlive.com/powerball. Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.