Long-term players of US lotteries know the options available to them. They understand that they can pay a little extra for such multipliers or a chance to enter a unique raffle. But spare a thought for casual players or those who only buy a ticket for special events. That’s what happened to Michael Faught of Oregon. He had a big win after accidental multiplier for his Powerball ticket purchase appeared on his ticket. The clerk asked whether he would like to buy a “$3 per line” option. Not really understanding the question, he agreed. Luckily, the decision paid off and he tripled a moderate win into a big win.
The Big Win After Accidental Multiplier Value
Had Mister Faught stuck with his original game request, he would have won around $50k. But he had a big win after accidental multiplier application took his winnings to $150k (around £120k). Mister Faught was delighted with the win which came courtesy of his own confusion in not understanding the bolt on options of the Powerball rather than a hard sell. They had been on a road trip at the time and decided to stop for fuel when they considered buying the tickets. They were not regular players which explains the confusion. Also, the big win came as a wonderful surprise to the couple.
The standard price of a Powerball ticket is $2 (£1.50) but the multiplier costs an extra $1 and triples the prize if the player ends up winning. In this case, the result was a good one. Mister and Misses Faught celebrating a big win after accidental multiplier applied to their ticket came up trumps. Playing multipliers cost more, typically about 50%, and go towards the prize fund for the winners. It’s a gamble but with a potentially enormous payoff in the offing if the numbers eventually come up.