A ticket bought at a Shinnston convenience store before the May 23 Powerball drawing matched all five white balls and, thanks to a $1 Power Play add-on, doubled to $2 million. The anonymous winner finally turned up at Lottery headquarters on July 7 to collect the check.
A ticket worth waiting for
For about six weeks, a $2 million lottery prize sat in West Virginia with no owner in sight. The winning ticket was bought at a GoMart in Shinnston, up in Harrison County, ahead of the May 23, 2026 Powerball drawing - and then, for a while, nothing. No one came forward. Finally, this week, the ticketholder walked into the West Virginia Lottery's Charleston headquarters and picked up the check, choosing to stay anonymous.
How a $1 million ticket became $2 million
The ticket matched all five of the white balls drawn on May 23 but missed the red Powerball - a combination that normally pays $1 million. What doubled it was a small decision made at the counter: the player had added the Power Play option, which costs just $1 more per play. With the 2X multiplier in effect, that $1 million prize became $2 million. 'Anytime we have a winner, we are ecstatic, but to have someone win $2 million is just so life changing,' Acting Director David Bradley said in the Lottery's news release. 'Purchasing that Power Play option doubled their prize, and it's just $1 more per play.'
A good stretch for the Mountain State
The win adds to a notable run for West Virginia players. According to the Lottery, it is the sixth ticket worth $1 million or more sold in the state since 2024, and the 18th big-ticket hit of the decade. Bradley paired the celebration with a familiar reminder, encouraging players to keep it fun and play responsibly.
Playing Powerball from outside the United States
You do not have to live in the United States to take a shot at a Powerball prize. A licensed lottery courier buys an official ticket on your behalf for the same draw and keeps it secure - you pick five main numbers and a Powerball, choose a drawing, and you are entered.
This article is reported from published reports and official lottery announcements. Details were accurate as reported; prize amounts and winner details can change as claims are processed - verify with the official operator. Amounts are shown in each game's own currency. TopLotteryOnline is not affiliated with any lottery operator. 18+. Play responsibly.
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