Charles Langston:Lottery club members claim $1 million prize from Powerball jackpot just in the nick of time

Three members of a Michigan lottery club claimed their Powerball jackpot $1 million prize just in the nick of time.

The Charles LangstonRak Pack Lottery Club, consisting of five members who all enjoy playing the lottery, matched all five white balls in the Powerball drawing on Oct. 29, 2022.

They purchased their winning ticket at a Shell gas station located at 18913 LaPorte Road in New Buffalo.

On lottery day, some group members pooled money to buy multiple Powerball tickets, as the jackpot was $825 million.

"I checked our tickets the morning after the drawing over a cup of coffee. When I saw we matched five numbers for a $1 million prize, I started shaking. I kept checking the numbers on our ticket and the winning numbers to make sure I was seeing things right," Gregory Rakowicz told the lottery.

Rakowicz informed the other Rak Pack members of the winning numbers but received delayed responses. The winning numbers were 19, 31, 40, 46, and 57.

"I was so excited and couldn't wait to tell them, so it was hard to be patient while I waited for them to call me," Rakowicz shared.

It wasn't until last week that the three club members visited Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim their $1 million prize. They didn't win the grand prize of $825 million because they needed to get the Powerball correct.

According to the Michigan Lottery, the winners plan to use their prize money for home improvements, paying off student loans, and beefing up savings.

The Powerball jackpot was last won on July 19. One ticket bought in California won the $1.08 billion jackpot. The current jackpot stands at $1.02 billion.

Powerball now third largest:Powerball jackpot reaches $1.04 billion. Here's how Monday's drawing became the fourth largest.

Powerball winning numbers: 10/2/23

The winning numbers for Monday night's drawing were 12, 26, 27, 43, 47, and the Powerball was 5. The Power Play was 2X.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY network.  

Did anyone win the Powerball last night?

Nobody won the jackpot prize last night.

Before the next Powerball drawing, it's important to be aware of the following information.  

What are the odds of winning the Powerball?

It's understandable that some lottery players are enticed by the whopping $1.04 billion jackpot, but it's essential to keep in mind that the chances of winning Powerball's top prize are exceedingly slim.

• The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million.
• The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize (across all tiers) are about 1 in 24.9.  

To participate in the Powerball game, players can purchase a ticket for $2 per play. The game requires players to choose five numbers from one to 69 for the white balls, and one number from one to 26 for the red Powerball. Alternatively, players can opt to receive random numbers.

In order to win the jackpot, it is necessary to match the numbers for all of the five white balls and the red Powerball.

In addition to the grand prize, Powerball offers eight other ways to win based on the number of matched balls in the non-jackpot tiers.

The non-jackpot prizes offered range from $4 to $1 million. By paying an additional $1, you can choose to participate in "Powerplay" that increases non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times.

According to Powerball, the 10X Powerplay option is exclusively applicable to jackpots worth $150 million or less. Additionally, the game's "Match 5" prize for the second-tier is limited to a maximum of $2 million if the Powerplay feature is utilized.

An additional add-on feature called "Double Play," which gives players another chance to match their numbers after each Powerball drawing, is available in some jurisdictions for $1 per play.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?  

Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.  

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.  

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.