CLEVELAND — Editor's note: Starting with week 35, Stephanie Haney's coverage on her year-long experiment to see whether it pays to play the Powerball lottery has moved. Find the latest on this story here.
What do student loans, New Year's resolutions and the Powerball lottery have in common?
In addition to being at the forefront of the nation's current conversation, these ideas are all part of my latest social experiment. Before I explain that part of it, here's a snapshot of where we are right now (now being January 13, 2022, when the first entry in this blog was written).
Right now, federal student loan payments are on hold through May because of the global pandemic, and there are calls for President Joe Biden to make good on his promise to cancel significant portions of these debts for millions of Americans. This comes at the beginning of a new year, when people all over the world are resolving to take all sorts of action over the next 12 months to better their lives, and on January 5, two winning tickets split one of the top 10 Powerball jackpot prizes of all time, sharing in a combined prize of $632.6 million.
It was while having a conversation about those Powerball winnings on WKYC's 5 P.M. television show, What's New, at the end of my Clicking in Cleveland segment that I wondered out loud with hosts Jay Crawford and Betsy Kling how much those winners had to spend over the course of their lives on Powerball tickets in order to win those prizes.
And that's when an idea was born. Not only did I want to try to win the Powerball lottery, I wanted to do it to try to pay off my crippling student loan debt.
Like so many of you, I am among the the millions of Americans with significant student loans hanging over my head. According to the Education Data Initiative, the total outstanding federal student loan debt load is $1.59 trillion.
43.2 million people hold an average of $39,351 each in both federal and private student loans, and approximately 42.9 million Americans with federal student loan debt each owe an average $37,105 for their federal loans, alone.
I won't bore you with the details, but after paying for an undergraduate degree, law school, and taking a full year off of work to get my Masters degree in journalism, my student loan debt is well above that national average, at a healthy six figure sum.
You can see why the thought of benefitting from a windfall to pay this debt down is very appealing. (My other strategies include tweeting at Elon Musk in the hopes that he'll drive up the value of my 200 dogecoin investment, or just pay them off himself when he sees a tweet that I tag him in and he feels bad for me.)
I’ve weighed my options, and the Powerball seems the most likely, so here’s what I am going to do. (I'm not alone, by the way. Many of you have told me on social media that you are doing the same thing in different ways, in hopes of paying off your student loans! Just read the comments on this Instagram post for proof.)
Every week this year starting this week I am going to buy a single $2 Powerball ticket for the Wednesday drawing. I’ve looked into the likelihood of winning based on choosing your own numbers versus the "quick pick" auto-select option, and while the odds of winning don't change, I've read that the odds of having to split a winning prize are less with randomly selected numbers, so I’m going to go with quick pick every time.
There are 9 ways to win a prize in Powerball, and all prizes are set cash amounts, except the jackpot total. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball. (Yes, I have better odds of being struck by lightning or getting killed by a shark, but you don't get paid for those things, so here we are.)
I will also always get the $1 prize multiplier option, called the Power Play. This multiplies your winnings if you win anything other than the jackpot. Under these parameters, I am going to spend $3 per week, for a total investment of $156, and track my winnings against my investment for one year.
For comparison, I'll also check on how a $156 investment in each Bitcoin, dogecoin, and Apple stock made on January 13 would fare over the same period of time.
I'll be documenting this on social media along the way, livestreaming each drawing shortly before 11 p.m. every Wednesday night on my Instagram page, and sharing those updates here in this article. From time to time, we'll also check in on What's New and see how this social experiment is going.
Here's how it's going so far:
Week 1: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, January 12
So far, no luck! I bought my first Powerball ticket from Sun Valley Beverage on West 25th Street in Ohio City, and I didn't match a single number. Not even the Powerball. This is off to a rocky start, but I am undeterred!
The winning Powerball numbers were 12, 21, 22, 30 and 33, with 34 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at four times. My numbers were 6, 40, 56, 59, and 65, with 9 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $38 million
- Powerball expenses: $3
- Powerball winnings: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$3
Here's what I would have been able to get with $156 in each of Bitcoin, dogecoin, and Apple stock at 12:30 pm Eastern on January 13:
- Bitcoin: 0.000023BTC
- Dogecoin: 952.79 DOGE
- Apple stock: less than 1 share, at $173.76 per share
(Since you can't buy partial stocks, from this point forward I'll compare the value of 1 share of Apple stock over the next year.)
Week 2: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, January 19
Fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice.. play the Powerball again! Week two takes me back to Sun Valley Beverage on West 25th Street in Ohio City to buy my ticket, and unfortunately this turn was no nicer to me than week one, and again I did not match a single number! Onward to week three!
The winning Powerball numbers were 11, 15, 43, 55 and 61, with 10 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 1, 36, 54, 60, and 64, with 16 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $62 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expenses to date: $6
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$6
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 1:20 pm Eastern on January 20:
- Bitcoin: $0.99 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.01
- Dogecoin: $157.41 (952.79 DOGE) for a net gain to date of $1.41
- Apple stock: $167.88 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $5.88
Week 3: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, January 26
I’m not sure what the odds are of not matching a single Powerball number (this person on this message board says those odds are just over 61 percent, for what it's worth)… But whatever they are, I am killing the game in that respect! Week 3 is more of the same: NO matches and NO winnings with the ticket I bought at Sun Valley Beverage on West 25th Street in Ohio City.
This is on par, though, with the odds I knew we were up against, going in to this thing. The odds of matching a single number in any given Powerball drawing are 1 in 38. Since I've only purchased three tickets so far, the numbers say I may not match a single number until week 38. That puts us all the way in September, folks. Buckle up, it could be a long road ahead!
I hope others out there playing the Powerball lottery fared better than I did, like Barbara Kornuc, who told me in our 3 What's New Facebook group that she's playing in hopes of covering her granddaughter's college tuition!
The winning Powerball numbers were 4, 11, 38, 49 and 69, with 16 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 12, 27, 37, 50 and 58, with 13 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $91 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $9
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$9
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 12 pm Eastern on January 27:
- Bitcoin: $0.84 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.16
- Dogecoin: $135.77 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $20.23
- Apple stock: $162.14 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $11.62
Week 4: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, February 2
Here's the good news: I matched two numbers this week! Maybe my luck changed because I changed things up and bought my ticket at the La Plaza Supermarket in Lakewood, on Lakewood Heights Boulevard! I was so excited while livestreaming the drawing when I saw that the first two numbers were on my ticket: 33 and 62. But that's where my luck ran out. And it turns out, that's not really all that lucky because matching just two numbers doesn't pay anything!
Losing out on this week's Powerball jackpot of $123 million stings a little extra because on Friday, January 28, there was a Cleveland winner for a $3 million prize in the Mega Millions lottery! The ticket, which matched five numbers and had played the multiplier to go from a $1 million winner to a $3 million payout, was sold at Mr. C's Beverage on Broadview Road. (Yes, I've been there!) If anyone knows the lucky person or people who got that winning ticket, please send them my way because I'd love to talk strategy with them!
Back to the Powerball, though. This week wasn't a total loss because I also connected with a 3News viewer in North Canton, who is challenging my experiment with one of his own. Thomas Rife is saving $3 per week, and wants to compare who has more money at the end of this 52-week journey. Game on, Thomas! Let's see what happens!
The winning Powerball numbers for February 2 were 18, 29, 33, 62 and 63, with 15 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 9, 14, 17, 33 and 62, with 9 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $123 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $12
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$12
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 1:30 pm Eastern on February 3:
- Bitcoin: $0.84 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.16
- Dogecoin: $130.11 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $25.89
- Apple stock: $175.61 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net gain to date of $1.85
Week 5: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, February 9
After taking one step forward in week four, week five takes us two steps back in my social experiment to see if it pays to play the Powerball, as I returned to Sun Valley Beverage on West 25th Street in Ohio City to buy my weekly ticket.
Not a single number matched for me, yet again! So far that makes four weeks where I didn’t match a single number. Last week I matched two numbers, but alas, that pays zero dollars! I wish my luck would have been as good as the person (or people) who won $3 million a couple of weeks ago with a Mega Millions ticket bought at Mr. C's Beverage! We checked in with the Ohio Lottery, by the way, and that prize has not yet been claimed but once it is, we'll try to get an interview with the winner(s).
While we go on this journey together, let’s remember responsible gambling means not spending more than you can afford to lose, and not actually gambling in an effort to pay off debts!
That said, part of this journey is a social commentary on the current state of student loans in the US and how dire it feels for a lot of us! It’s my New Year’s resolution to finally put a dent in my student loans. (No, my loans are not part of the Navient student loan settlement, but yours might be! Check out my "Legally Speaking" breakdown of that settlement here.)
Since it does feel so overwhelming to owe so much money for my education, it sure would be nice for a windfall to help out with that! It’s not my only strategy, but more of a Hail Mary along the lines of my life motto: “Let’s see what happens!”
Let me know how you feel about your student loan situation in the comments of my Instagram post here, along with what your plan is to try to pay them down and how you feel about President Joe Biden promising to cancel at least a portion of those for some of us (and so far, failing to deliver)!
The winning Powerball numbers for February 9 were 2, 17, 33, 51 and 63, with 26 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 18, 26, 34, 58 and 65, with 8 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $158 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $15
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$15
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:15 pm Eastern on February 10:
- Bitcoin: $1.01 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $154.99
- Dogecoin: $145.72 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $10.28
- Apple stock: $172.16 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $1.60
Week 6: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, February 16
As I often do when I share posts online, I posed two questions to my followers before embarking on this week's Powerball drawing:
Are you superstitious about where you buy your lottery tickets? What about numbers you play?
I got a few interesting responses that I'd like to share with you here before we dive into how this week turned out in my social experiment to see if it pays to play the Powerball lottery, and if doing so can be any help with my New Year's resolution to try to pay down my student loan debt.
Tim Goe in Willowick tells me that he's loyal, if not superstitious, to the same location where he spends $10 on lottery tickets twice each week, but he has yet to win "anything significant."
"I play $10 every Tuesday and Friday at the local corner store that's a 5 minute walk from my house," he says, referring to the Lucky 7 store on the east side of Cleveland. His games of choice are Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky 4 Life, classic lotto, and he always gets a $3 scratch-off ticket.
He says he's been playing for a few years, and despite not much success he keeps "that hope of hitting something one day."
Keith Pomeranig is hedging his bets when it comes to the numbers he plays in the lottery, tweeting at me: "I play one selection of set numbers and one auto pick - so if I don't win it's not my fault!"
In contrast to that, Albert Cap isn't superstitious at all. Albert tells me: "I play whatever [lottery drawing] is the highest for the week. Right now it’s the Mega Millions. After all, you probably have expensive taste, the more money, the better."
To Albert, I say I don't know necessarily have expensive taste, but I do agree with him that if you're going to win the lottery, then yes, the more money, the better! However, I'm sticking with the Powerball drawing each week to make this very un-scientific social experiment as close to scientific as it possibly can be!
As for my other choices, I’m not superstitious but I am a little-stitious! I've been going with auto pick for my numbers, but this week I changed my purchase location in hopes that it would end my trend of not matching any numbers in the Wednesday Powerball drawing.
I purchased my ticket for this week's drawing at the Gulf gas station at the intersection of Clifton Boulevard, Baltic Road, and West 95th Street. Alas, that did nothing to change my luck and I didn't match a single number this week, either! For what it's worth, my best luck so far came when I bought my ticket for week 4 at the La Plaza Supermarket in Lakewood on Lakewood Heights Boulevard, but even then I matched only two numbers and didn't win anything.
Someone else had a lot of luck though, because on Valentine's Day a single ticket sold in Connecticut matched all six balls for the $185.3 million Powerball jackpot, resetting the top prize and leaving $20 million up for grabs on Wednesday.
The winning Powerball numbers for February 16 were 22, 30, 40, 42 and 48, with 16 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 12, 25, 28, 45 and 66, with 5 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $20 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $18
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$18
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 5:15 pm Eastern on February 16:
- Bitcoin: $.93 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.07
- Dogecoin: $133.40 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $22.60
- Apple stock: $168.88 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $4.88
Week 7: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, February 23
Week 7 takes me back to the gas station on Clifton, with not much better luck. I really liked my randomly generated numbers this time, too, because there were so many doubles and we had just experienced the most epic Twos-day with 2-22-22 falling on a Tuesday! But, I only matched 1 number and didn't win a prize again. Onward to week 8... which just so happens to fall on my birthday! That HAS to be lucky, right?! We shall see!
The winning Powerball numbers for February 23 were 6, 17, 21, 35, and 64 with 18 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 11, 21, 23, 44, and 66, with 22 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $45 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $21
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$21
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 4:00 pm Eastern on February 24:
- Bitcoin: $.88 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.12
- Dogecoin: $117.79 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $38.21
- Apple stock: $162.74 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $11.02
Week 8: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, March 2
As phenomenal as my birthday was, it was not a Powerball winner for me!
I went back to the gas station on Clifton for my ticket (Can y’all tell it’s super convenient to stop there on my way in to work?!) and ended up with a total dud. Not a single number matched. And so as of today, 8 weeks in, I’m out $24 on this journey.
Now I know this isn’t the store’s fault that I haven’t won anything or matched hardly any numbers… but I told y’all… I’m a little-stitious! So next week, I’m planning ahead and going somewhere else!
I asked all of you on social media: Where should I buy my ticket? And for those of you that play, how do you pick where you’re getting yours? If you go to the same place all the time, how did you pick that place to start with? Was it out of convenience like me? Or was it something else? Let me know!
And onward to week 9!
The winning Powerball numbers for March 2 were 19, 37, 48, 61 and 63 with 12 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 3, 4, 40, 56 and 69, with 23 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $73 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $24
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$24
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:30 pm Eastern on March 3:
- Bitcoin: $.98 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.02
- Dogecoin: $123.99 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $32.01
- Apple stock: $166.23 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $7.53
Week 9: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, March 9
I did it friends… I ventured out in search of a lucky lottery store. I figured… Why not start where there was a $3 million Mega Millions winner within the past month or so?! So I drove out to Mr. C’s Beverage in Old Brooklyn! They definitely have the signage on display that makes you feel like you could be the next big winner.
With a $99 million Powerball jackpot on the line, I went in for another cool 3 dollar bills, and I came up short with not a single number matched. Yet again. That means so far I'm out $27 and none the richer, and more importantly, not getting any extra bump from this little experiment to aid my New Year's resolution try to pay down my student loan debt.
Stick with me, though, folks. We have 43 more weeks to go, and based on the odds, it seems like one of these days we could be celebrating at least a small win! (Scroll down to check out how my hypothetical alternate investments would be doing, because so far, I'm still better off doing this than I would be if I had invested in Bitcoin, dogecoin or a share of Apple stock.)
In the next couple of weeks as we charge on, we’ll also be having a conversation about responsible gambling, because March is responsible gambling awareness month!
The winning Powerball numbers for March 9 were 13, 22, 34, 51 and 67 with 10 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 9, 14, 18, 42 and 57, with 13 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $99 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $27
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$27
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on March 10:
- Bitcoin: $.91 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.09
- Dogecoin: $111.55 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $44.45
- Apple stock: $158.52 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $14.94
Week 10: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, March 16
True to my word, I ventured outside of my usual routine and bought this week's Powerball ticket in my hometown of Canton, since I was in the area for a meeting early one morning. I got it at the Sunoco gas station on "West Tusc." as we call it, near downtown Canton by the I-77 North on-ramp. The address is 1601 Tuscarawas St W, Canton, OH 44708, for anyone not familiar with the area.
And despite the change of scenery, being Irish, and this drawing being on the day before St. Patrick's Day, I didn't match a single number. The Powerball was 17 though, which I liked, only for the tie to the holiday the next day.
The winning Powerball numbers for March 16 were 3, 28, 34, 35 and 58 with 17 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 13, 15, 48, 53 and 66 with 4 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $133 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $30
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$30
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on March 17:
- Bitcoin: $.94 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.06
- Dogecoin: $111.00 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $45
- Apple stock: $160.62 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $13.14
Week 11: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, March 23
Before we get to the business at hand of how I fared in the Powerball lottery this week, I want to remind everyone that March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month. To acknowledge the issue, Ohio Lottery's Director of Responsible Gambling Karen Russo joined me on my 3 Things to Know podcast, to talk about resources available for people who are addicted to gambling.
Two great resources she mentioned include KeepItFunOhio.com and the 24 hour Gambling Helpline, at 1.800.589.9966.
I also chatted with Mike Buzzelli from the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, and we discussed warning signs, risky behaviors and ways to make sure people are gambling in a healthy way. I encourage anyone who might think they or their loved ones are slipping into troublesome gambling behavior to watch or listen to these conversations, and seek out the help they need.
I am happy to say that both Karen and Mike confirmed to me that I am indeed "keeping it fun" and gambling in a healthy way, by sticking to my budget and not spending more than I can afford to lose.
Now, to the results. Life got the best of me this week, and with a $167 million jackpot on the line, I returned to my trusty Sunoco gas station on my way in to work to get my Powerball ticket in time for Wednesday night's drawing. It’s just so convenient! And to be perfectly honest, I really feel like I’ve been chasing my tail this week trying to tread water and keep up with projects that I have going on. So I didn’t get to plan ahead and go to a new place this time around. But I have my eye on a few other places that I’ll be hitting up soon for my weekly $3 ticket purchase.
This time, I tied my all-time best results thus far, matching two numbers: 32 and 38. The number 32 is my favorite number (since it's representative of my birthday, March 2), but that doesn't win me any money! Here's hoping for better luck next time.
The winning Powerball numbers for March 23 were 31, 32, 37, 38 and 48 with 24 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 5, 25, 32, 38 and 53 with 18 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $167 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $33
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$33
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on March 24:
- Bitcoin: $1.01 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $154.99
- Dogecoin: $130.10 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $25.90
- Apple stock: $174.07 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $0.31
Week 12: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, March 30
Looking ahead to the Wednesday night Powerball drawing, we did a little check in with Jay and Betsy on What's New, and I demonstrated the Keep It Fun Ohio "costulator," which tells you your true cost of gambling. The estimations are a little higher than what I'm actually doing, but if I were spending $5 per week, the "costulator" says I could afford a nice golf driver instead of my weekly Powerball ticket. Betsy made a great point and said she'd have a better chance hitting the winning numbers than hitting anything with that driver, so they might want to use a different comparison there for people like her.
For me, I was thinking of it in terms of a student loan payment. That amount would cover about half of one month's payment. Ouch. (Yes, I am still working on that New Year's resolution to pay down my student loans, while I hope for a big windfall in the form of a Powerball jackpot win to take care of that problem for me!)
But I'm not spending $5 per week. I'm spending $3 per week. And I keep losing. I went back to my usual Sunoco on Clifton for my ticket, and didn't match a single number again this week. One of these days I'm really hoping to win at least one of the $4 prizes! I'd consider that to be a moral victory, on my way to win the big money, of course!
A viewer clued me in, though, to something I could be doing to take just a tiny bit of the sting out of my losses. Apparently the Ohio Lottery has a system where you can earn points for buying tickets, and eventually cash in your rewards points for gift cards. You can also opt to play "second chance" games, instead, if you prefer. You have to create a MyLotto account do to it, which you can do online or through the Ohio Lottery App. But be warned, because the viewer also told me this:
"I haven't redeemed my points because it takes too many tickets to get enough points. I kinda stopped collecting points."
I haven't downloaded the app and scanned in my tickets for points yet, but when I do I will report back and let you know what I think about the number of tickets needed to redeem points for anything substantial!
The winning Powerball numbers for March 30 were 3, 7, 21, 31 and 37 with 11 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 19, 22, 38, 49 and 54 with 16 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $206 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $36
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$36
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on March 31:
- Bitcoin: $1.05 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $154.95
- Dogecoin: $131.32 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $24.68
- Apple stock: $174.61 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $0.85
Week 13: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, April 6
With $268 million on the line in this Wednesday's Powerball drawing, I broke from convention and tried out a new spot to buy my ticket. I went to the GAS USA station at the corner of West 117th Street and Triskett Road in Cleveland. This new spot gave me no fresher luck, and I didn't match a single number this week either.
I take a small amount of solace in the fact that the jackpot prize keeps growing, so if I do get lucky and snag that top prize one of these days, it'll be quite the hefty chunk of change!
And in other lottery news, a lucky lady in California accidentally won $10 million all thanks to a stranger bumping into her while she was selecting her lottery scratcher ticket. Yes, you read that right. I covered the story in my Clicking in Cleveland segment on Thursday, April 7. You can watch that story in the video player right there.
Looking ahead to next week, I'll be in Florida for a few days, so I'm going to try my luck grabbing a ticket down there this time!
The winning Powerball numbers for April 6 were 6, 42, 45, 47 and 64 with 18 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 18, 26, 37, 38 and 69 with 24 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $268 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $39
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$39
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on April 7:
- Bitcoin: $1.00 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155
- Dogecoin: $139.20 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $16.80
- Apple stock: $172.14 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $1.62
Week 14: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, April 13
First, I need to start this week's update with a bit of good news: President Joe Biden's administration announced on April 6 that the federal government will push the date back again for student loan borrowers like myself to resume making payments on federal student loans. Payments were supposed to resume in May, but now the pause on payment and interest accrual has been extended through August 31. (New York's representative to the US House Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Instagram that while the extensions keep coming, Democrats "continue to push for debt cancellation," which I, for one, would greatly benefit from!)
Now, for the bad news. I didn't match a single number, yet again, in my quest to win the Powerball lottery this week.
What started as well-laid plans to buy this week's Powerball ticket in Florida went a bit sideways, as my quick trip away involved several travel issues, so in order to maximize time on the beach, I purchased my Powerball ticket at an automated machine at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport once I got back home to Ohio! This machine did not give me the option to pay the extra $1 in order to add on the "power play" feature, so I only spent $2 instead of my allotted $3. But I figured that coming in under budget is better than coming in over budget, and I thought it would be fun to use that machine at the airport, so I went ahead with it anyway.
For week 15, I'm going to visit one of the spots on this list of previous Ohio lottery jackpot winners to get my ticket!
The winning Powerball numbers for April 13 were 14, 16, 41, 63 and 68 with 26 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 3, 18, 31, 55 and 69 with 9 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $303.6 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $2
- Powerball expense to date: $41
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$41
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on April 14:
- Bitcoin: $0.92 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.08
- Dogecoin: $137.13 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $18.87
- Apple stock: $156.29 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $17.47
Week 15: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, April 20
It was good to have been back live for this week's Powerball drawing, after live got in the way of being able to stream to results in real time!
It would’ve been even better if I would’ve matched a single number and won some money! But that was not in the cards again for me this time.
I made my way out to Westlake to get my ticket at a "lucky lottery store" called Deli-4-Less, at 24505 Center Ridge Road. While as you can see in photos here, there have been many winners at this location, I didn't get to join that club this time around.
This is now officially my longest stretch of not matching a single number, marking four weeks in a row where I've had no luck at all!
I don't know what the odds say about the likelihood of a stretch like that, but my gut tells me I'm overdue for change in the winds.
The winning Powerball numbers for April 20 were 20, 30, 45, 55 and 56 with 24 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 5, 15, 16, 23 and 35 with 17 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $370 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $44
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$44
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on April 21:
- Bitcoin: $0.93 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.07
- Dogecoin: $129.93 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $26.07
- Apple stock: $166.42 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $7.34
Week 16: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, April 27
It's been a particularly busy week, so being pressed for time, I returned to the Gulf gas station on Clifton Boulevard to grab my ticket. Convenience provided me no extra luck, and I failed to match any numbers, yet again. As with all things though, we get knocked down and we get up again! Onward to week 17!
The winning Powerball numbers for April 27 were 11, 36, 61, 62 and 68 with 4 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 1, 22, 45, 46 and 65 with 14 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $454 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $47
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$47
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on April 28:
- Bitcoin: $0.90 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.10
- Dogecoin: $133.68 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $22.32
- Apple stock: $163.64 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $10.12
Week 17: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, May 4
This time I got my Powerball ticket at the Circle K at the corner of Bunts Road and Lakewood Heights Boulevard. I should have known this wasn't considered a "Lucky Lottery" store, because it did not have the usual signs associated with advertising winners! But I went ahead and got my ticket here, and as (lack of) luck would have it, I did not win a prize. I didn't match a single number, and so my perfect record of zero wins continues! The good news is my stay-cation started right after this drawing, so at least I'm winning in that regard!
The winning Powerball numbers for May 4 were 37, 39, 55, 63 and 69 with 23 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 7, 21, 33, 35 and 58 with 19 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $37 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $50
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$50
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on May 5:
- Bitcoin: $0.91 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.09
- Dogecoin: $129.60 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $26.40
- Apple stock: $156.77 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $16.99
Week 18: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, May 11
I'm still testing my luck at different "Lucky Lottery" stores around town, and so I ventured to the Sunoco gas station at 6225 Storer Avenue in Cleveland. It's known for it's luck with scratcher tickets, and that did not translate to Powerball tickets for me. No numbers matched at all, and so we look ahead to next week yet again!
The winning Powerball numbers for May 11 were 5, 7, 61, 63 and 69 with 18 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 2, 21, 46, 53 and 66 with 5 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $68 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $53
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$53
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 2:00 pm Eastern on May 12:
- Bitcoin: $0.67 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.33
- Dogecoin: $80.32 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $75.68
- Apple stock: $140.38 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $33.38
Week 19: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, May 18
Another week, another disappointment for me with just one number matched. Someone else in Ohio had a great night, though! I was short on time, so I went back to my trusty Gulf gas station at the intersection of Clifton Boulevard, Baltic Road, and West 95th Street.
It looks like I went to the wrong gas station, because a $2 million-winning ticket (matching all 5 numbers but not the Powerball) was sold at a Speedway gas station in Grove City, Ohio! The odds of winning this prize are 1 in 11.7 million, which are a lot better than winning a Powerball jackpot. Even so, this is only the 59th winner of $1 million or more for Powerball's 5-of-5 prize since 2012.
I hope whoever won caught wind of my Legally Speaking segment yesterday, talking about what people should do if they get lucky with a big lottery prize! (If you missed it you can watch it right here.)
The winning Powerball numbers for May 18 were 40, 41, 58, 64 and 65 with 17 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 9, 28, 41, 46 and 62 with 21 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $101 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $56
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$56
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on May 19:
- Bitcoin: $0.70 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.30
- Dogecoin: $82.57 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $73.43
- Apple stock: $137.35 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $36.41
Week 20: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, May 25
It's week 20, folks! I can hardly believe it. And I can hardly believe that I still haven't won a single dollar in the Powerball lottery! I did match one number though, on my ticket that I bought again at the Gulf gas station on Clifton Boulevard.
Actually, I can believe it because based on the odds, only 1 in every 38 tickets is a winner. I've extrapolated that to mean that I shouldn't expect to win until September, but really what those odds mean is that if I bought 38 tickets for a single drawing, one of those tickets would be likely to win me something. So really, there's no telling if I'll ever win! But I sure hope I do!
Interestingly enough, the Powerball was same this week as it was last week: 17. Granted, there were drawings on Saturday and Monday in between these two drawings, and I don't know what the Powerball number was in those drawings because I only play on Wednesday.
The winning Powerball numbers for May 25 were 19, 28, 39, 42 and 57 with 17 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 13, 20, 42, 45 and 62 with 4 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $135 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $59
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$59
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 1:00 pm Eastern on May 26:
- Bitcoin: $0.68 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.32
- Dogecoin: $76.15 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $79.85
- Apple stock: $144.10 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $29.66
Week 21: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, June 1
I know this story started as a commentary on student loans and hoping for a windfall to pay those down, but after purchasing gas along with my Powerball ticket today, maybe I should start thinking smaller! I know we're all feeling pain at the pump, but today was the first time I dropped $62 to fill up my tank at the Gulf gas station at the intersection of Clifton Boulevard , and it was not what I'd call fun!
It also is not what I'd call to to go another week without a single matching number! And so what has thus far been a winless experiment continues...
The winning Powerball numbers for June 1 were 11, 41, 56, 57 and 63 with 2 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 4, 7, 22, 33 and 68 with 21 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $168 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $62
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$62
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on June 2:
- Bitcoin: $0.69 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.31
- Dogecoin: $77.65 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $78.35
- Apple stock: $147.83 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $25.93
Week 22: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, June 8
I swing by the BP gas station on West 117th for my ticket today, grabbing it a bit earlier than usual, and came up matchless yet again. I didn't get gas at the same time, this time, though, so the loss feels ever-so-slightly less painful.
The winning Powerball numbers for June 8 were 22, 39, 43, 62 and 64 with 7 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at four times. My numbers were 14, 19, 36, 46 and 58 with 11 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $210 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $65
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$65
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on June 9:
- Bitcoin: $0.70 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.30
- Dogecoin: $76.22 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $79.78
- Apple stock: $147.08 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $26.68
Week 23: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, June 15
One of my favorite numbers is 32, so when I see that pop up on my randomly-selected Powerball ticket, it always brings me an extra jolt of hope. However, my return to the Gulf gas station on Clifton Boulevard did not yield winning results, once again. With no matches, we carry on to next week, hoping for a win!
The winning Powerball numbers for June 15 were 19, 28, 41, 42 and 51 with 7 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 26, 32, 52, 57 and 69 with 16 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $279 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $68
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$68
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on June 16:
- Bitcoin: $0.52 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.48
- Dogecoin: $60.50 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $95.50
- Apple stock: $132.08 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $41.68
Week 24: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, June 22
The winning Powerball numbers for June 22 were 6, 10, 31, 48 and 56 with 12 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 14, 16, 22, 55 and 65 with 17 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $312 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $71
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$71
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on June 23:
- Bitcoin: $0.46 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.54
- Dogecoin: $58.88 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $97.12
- Apple stock: $138.27 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $35.49
Check back in each Thursday from now through Thursday, January 5, 2023, to see how much I've spent, whether I've made any money, and how hypothetical investments in Bitcoin, dogecoin, and Apple stocks would be performing, by comparison.
Week 25: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, June 29
The winning Powerball numbers for June 29 were 8, 40, 49, 58 and 63 with 14 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 19, 30, 32, 41 and 49 with 21 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $365 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $74
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$74
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on June 30:
- Bitcoin: $0.46 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.54
- Dogecoin: $66.31 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $89.69
- Apple stock: $136.72 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $37.04
Week 26: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 6
The winning Powerball numbers for July 6 were 32, 36, 49, 62 and 69 with 13 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 20, 21, 27, 39 and 40 with 1 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $35 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $77
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$77
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on July 7:
- Bitcoin: $0.47 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.53
- Dogecoin: $65.46 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $90.54
- Apple stock: $146.35 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $27.41
Week 24: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 13
It’s been a little while since I’ve given you a Powerball experiment update… So I put together a little video showing you the app that I’ve been using for the last few weeks to buy my tickets! It’s called JackPocket. (Check out the way it works, below.)
Spoiler alert: I’m on a two week streak of not matching a single number! Although all of my numbers were very close to the winning numbers this week. But close only counts in horseshoes!
This isn’t an endorsement of this app, but I will share that a few weeks ago someone in Cleveland using this app won $1 million on a Powerball ticket! And those are just the facts, Jack!
So to recap, it’s week 27 and I’m no richer and no closer to a windfall that would wipe out my student loan debt! Onward to week 28.
The winning Powerball numbers for July 13 were 22, 23, 36, 47 and 63 with 2 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 3, 21, 32, 35 and 37 with 12 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $66 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $80
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$80
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on July 14:
- Bitcoin: $0.47 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.53
- Dogecoin: $59.07 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $96.93
- Apple stock: $148.47 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $25.29
Week 25: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 20
The winning Powerball numbers for July 20 were 10, 20, 23, 49, and 65 with 22 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 8, 25, 44, 51 and 54 with 1 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $101 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $83
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$83
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on July 21:
- Bitcoin: $0.53 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.47
- Dogecoin: $66.66 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $89.34
- Apple stock: $155.35 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $18.41
Week 26: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 27
The winning Powerball numbers for July 27 were 1, 25, 44, 55 and 57 with 26 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 14, 19, 20, 24 and 43 with 2 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $145 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $86
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$86
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on July 28:
- Bitcoin: $0.55 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.45
- Dogecoin: $63.86 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $92.14
- Apple stock: $157.35 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $16.41
Week 27: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, August 3
The winning Powerball numbers for August 3 were 9, 21, 56, 57 and 66 with 11 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 10, 17, 25, 36 and 69 with 26 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $206.9 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $89
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$89
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on August 4:
- Bitcoin: $0.52 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.48
- Dogecoin: $64.18 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $91.82
- Apple stock: $165.58 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net lost to date of $8.18
Week 28: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, August 10
The winning Powerball numbers for August 10 were 29, 44, 59, 61 and 68 with 19 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 3, 5, 12, 19 and 22 with 11 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $35 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $92
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$92
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on August 11:
- Bitcoin: $0.55 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.45
- Dogecoin: $67.58 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $88.42
- Apple stock: $168.49 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $5.27
Week 29: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, August 17
The winning Powerball numbers for August 17 were 23, 28, 41, 50 and 55 with 24 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 8, 3, 43, 47 and 52 with 20 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $66 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $95
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$95
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on August 18:
- Bitcoin: $0.53 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.47
- Dogecoin: $71.53 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $84.47
- Apple stock: $174.15 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net gain to date of $0.39
Week 30: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, August 24
The winning Powerball numbers for August 24 were 6, 24, 35, 3 and 44 with 22 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at four times. My numbers were 18, 48, 50, 58 and 67 with 19 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $100 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $98
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$98
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on August 25:
- Bitcoin: $0.50 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.50
- Dogecoin: $65.83 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $90.17
- Apple stock: $170.03 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $3.73
Week 31: Powerball drawing on Saturday, September 3
The winning Powerball numbers for September 3 were 18, 27, 49, 65 and 69 with 9 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 3, 26, 49, 50 and 51 with 26 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $148 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $101
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$101
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on September 6:
- Bitcoin: $0.43 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.57
- Dogecoin: $56.20 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $99.8
- Apple stock: $154.53 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $19.23
Week 32: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, September 7
The winning Powerball numbers for September 7 were 3, 16, 30, 33 and 36 with 20 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 8, 25, 29, 33 and 68 with 16 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $170 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $104
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$104
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 6:00 pm Eastern on September 8:
- Bitcoin: $0.44 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.56
- Dogecoin: $58.10 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $97.90
- Apple stock: $154.46 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $19.30
Week 33: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, September 14
Life has been very busy lately, and it's been hard to get to to the lucky lottery stores around town! So I've been leaning heavily on using a third-party app to buy my Powerball tickets on the go. The easier way to get my tickets hasn't translated into winnings, though. Here in week 33 of this experiment, I've still only ever match two numbers and that hasn't resulted in a single dollar in prize money. But I am on my longest streak of matching at least one number, with this week making three in a row! Now if only I could combine all of those individual number matches onto one ticket...
The winning Powerball numbers for September 14 were 9, 10, 20, 22 and 52 with 25 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at three times. My numbers were 22, 33, 48, 55 and 57 with 1 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $206 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $107
- Powerball winnings this week: $0
- Powerball winnings to date: $0
- Net Powerball proceeds: -$107
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 1:30 pm Eastern on September 15:
- Bitcoin: $0.46 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.54
- Dogecoin: $56.92 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $99.08
- Apple stock: $153.84 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $19.92
Week 34: Powerball drawing on Wednesday, September 21
Last week I wished I could combine my three weeks of matching a single number onto one ticket... and this week, I did! Plus the Powerball!! So this week I am so very happy to say that I am a winner! Normally that combination wins the player $100 but because I paid the extra dollar for the Power Play multiplier and because it came up as two times the price, I won $200 this week!
Now, with my very first win I can officially say that for me, it does pay to play the Powerball! That's because with my winnings I have now won more than my yearly budget, with was $156 (playing $3 per week for 52 weeks).
By the way, nobody hit the $238 million jackpot. But in Ohio, 13,040 winning tickets were sold. Those smaller prizes in Ohio were:
$200 prize: 9 winners (And one of them was ME!)
$100 prize: 21 winners
$14 prize: 309 winners
$8 prize: 3,848 winners
$7 prize: 613 winners
$4 prize: 8,240 winners
As for me, I'm going to keep playing for the rest of this year as planned to see how MUCH it pays to play the Powerball, and I'm hoping my winnings increase!
The winning Powerball numbers for September 21 were 6, 33, 34, 45 and 54 with 7 as the Powerball. The Power Play was at two times. My numbers were 6, 17, 26, 33 and 54 with 7 as the Powerball.
- Powerball jackpot: $238 million
- Powerball expenses this week: $3
- Powerball expense to date: $110
- Powerball winnings this week: $200
- Powerball winnings to date: $200
- Net Powerball proceeds: $90
Here's what each of my hypothetical alternate investments of $156 would have been worth at 5 pm Eastern on September 22:
- Bitcoin: $0.44 (0.000023BTC) for a net loss to date of $155.56
- Dogecoin: $56.36 (952.79 DOGE) for a net loss to date of $99.64
- Apple stock: $152.74 (1 share, at $173.76 per share) for a net loss to date of $21.02
Check back in each Thursday from now through Thursday, January 5, 2023, to see how much I've spent, whether I've made any money, and how hypothetical investments in Bitcoin, dogecoin, and Apple stocks would be performing, by comparison.
Starting with week 35, Stephanie Haney's coverage on her experiment to see whether it pays to play the Powerball lottery has moved. Find the latest on this story here.
