USC student rakes in $150,000 in lottery winnings

A University of South Carolina student is $150,000 richer after purchasing a winning Powerball ticket.

The student, a Lexington resident, said he purchased a lottery ticket after his mother urged him to while shopping at Publix, 847 U.S. 378, Lexington.

After Saturday’s Powerball drawing, his mother checked the numbers on their ticket Sunday morning and ran and woke everyone up in her house, according to a news release from the South Carolina Education lottery.

The winner told lottery officials he plans to pay off his student loans and take the whole family on a vacation.

“I’m so proud of him,” his mother said.

His father had his own priorities.

“We need a new lawn mower,” he said.

The odds of matching four white ball numbers and a red Powerball number like the student did are 1 in 913,129. The odds of a 3X multiplier being selected are 1 in 3.23 when the jackpot is above $150 million.

The Publix store that sold the winning ticket received a commission of $1,500.

The estimated jackpot for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing is $348 million.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 9:48 AM with the headline "USC student rakes in $150,000 in lottery winnings."