Farmville, Virginia – Judy Philbrook of Farmville says she had a strong feeling something good was coming her way. That feeling led her to buy $30 worth of Powerball tickets ahead of the September 6 drawing — and that decision turned out to be life-changing. She purchased the tickets at J W Express, located at 201 E. 3rd Street in Farmville.
Her instincts didn’t stop there. On the night of the drawing, she decided to stay up late and check her numbers. It was during that late-night moment that Philbrook discovered she had just won $100,000. “It truly is luck!” she told Virginia Lottery officials when she claimed her prize.
The winning ticket matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball number. Normally, this would have resulted in a $50,000 win. But Philbrook had opted to spend an extra dollar for Power Play®, which doubled her winnings to $100,000. The winning numbers for that night were 11-23-44-61-62, with the Powerball number 17. Though she chose the numbers herself, she said they held no personal meaning.
Philbrook has decided to save her winnings for a rainy day, showing gratitude and practicality following the lucky break.
Supporting Schools Across Virginia
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m., offering players a chance to win life-changing prizes. The odds of matching all six numbers to win the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, while the overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 25.
Beyond personal winnings, Philbrook’s win also contributes to a larger cause. All profits from the Virginia Lottery go toward K-12 education across the state. Philbrook lives in Prince Edward County, which received more than $2 million in Lottery funds for local schools during the last fiscal year. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Virginia Lottery raised over $901 million for K-12 education, accounting for about 10 percent of the state’s public school budget.
