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Couple realizes they won Powerball prize during beach vacation. ‘Swimming in cash’

File photo of a beach. A Michigan man was sitting on a beach when he realized he won a $150,000 Powerball prize, according to lottery officials.
File photo of a beach. A Michigan man was sitting on a beach when he realized he won a $150,000 Powerball prize, according to lottery officials. Jeremy Ricketts via Unsplash

Kim Busscher didn’t want to miss any Powerball drawings while on vacation with his wife, so he bought a multi-draw ticket from a Shell gas station before leaving.

“A few days later, I was sitting on the beach and decided to check my ticket,” the 67-year-old husband from Holland told Michigan Lottery officials. “I saw someone won a $150,000 prize and then started checking off my numbers.”

He had matched four of the white balls and the Powerball during the game’s Feb. 25 drawing, according to an April 17 news release. This qualified him for a $50,000 prize.

But because Busscher added on the Power Play, his winnings were tripled for a grand prize of $150,000.

He “went from swimming in the ocean to swimming in cash,” lottery officials said. The location of the couple’s vacation spot was not released.

Busscher said he “couldn’t believe it!”

“I had my wife look the ticket over to make sure I was reading it right and then we called our family to tell them the good news,” he continued, according to the release.

The Michigan couple plans to use the prize money to make donations, share with family and save.

Holland is about 30 miles southwest of Grand Rapids.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Couple realizes they won Powerball prize during beach vacation. ‘Swimming in cash’."

KA
Kaitlyn Alatidd
McClatchy DC
Kaitlyn Alatidd is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter based in Kansas. She is an agricultural communications & journalism alumna of Kansas State University.
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