The $700 Million Dream That Turned Into a $2 Million Surprise
Monday, September 1, 2025
Here’s the setup: Deborah Sexton from Davidson, North Carolina hadn’t played the lottery in over a year. Then she saw the Powerball jackpot sitting at $700 million and thought, “Alright, maybe I’ll give it a shot.”
She walked into a Harris Teeter, picked up some Powerball tickets, and almost called it a day. Almost. Her husband suggested she add a Mega Millions ticket too. She did — more out of habit than strategy.
That small decision turned into $2 million.
Her Mega Millions Quick Pick matched all five white balls — just one number shy of the jackpot. Not bad for a game she hadn’t planned on playing.
After taxes, Deborah took home about $1.4 million. She plans to use some of it to travel to Maine to visit family.
It’s a good reminder that the big headline number isn’t always the real story. You chase the $700 million dream and walk away with $2 million — still life-changing, just in a quieter way.
What’s Next
The next Mega Millions drawing is on Friday, Aug 29, 2025, with an estimated $277 million jackpot. Whether you play or not is up to you — but Deborah’s story shows that sometimes the side bet pays off.
Number of views (22)
Tags: