LANSING, Mich.-Listening to motherly advice paid off for a Detroit woman who won $1 million playing Powerball.
Shatarra Johnson, 30, matched the five white balls drawn - 02-04-16-30-46 - in the Dec. 25 drawing to win a $1 million prize. She bought her winning ticket at the 7-Eleven located at 21701 Harper Avenue in St. Clair Shores.
"I was out shopping with my mom, and she kept suggesting I buy a ticket," said Johnson. "We were passing a 7-Eleven, and even though I was feeling pretty tired, I pulled in and bought a ticket.
"I didn't think much about it after that. The night of the drawing, I laid down in my bed for the night and I remembered I had a ticket for the Powerball drawing that night. I got out of bed and checked my ticket and with each number I read, I got more excited. When I realized I won $1 million, I was shocked!"
Johnson visited Lottery headquarters Thursday to claim her big prize. With her winnings, she plans to pay off her student loans, take a vacation with her mom, and then save the remainder.
"Winning and knowing I can pay off my student loans takes a lot of stress off me. I'm so glad I listened to my mom!" the player said.
Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com. A "Power Play" option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times to a maximum of $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1.
The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday and Saturday and may be watchedonline at: http://www.powerball.com. Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.