Grandmother Uses AI To Win Lottery Then Donates All
A Virginia grandmother, Carrie Edwards, experienced a truly life-changing surprise after winning a $150,000 Powerball jackpot, and the source of her winning numbers was none other than ChatGPT.
According to a report from The New York Post, Edwards initially won $50,000. However, because she spent an extra dollar on the Power Play feature, her prize money was tripled, bringing her total winnings to an incredible $150,000.
An Unlikely Tip From AI
As someone who doesn't regularly play the lottery online, Edwards decided to try a modern approach. She used the ChatGPT application on her phone to generate a set of potential lottery numbers. "I'm like, ChatGPT, talk to me… Do you have numbers for me?" she explained at a news conference. While any lottery win is ultimately a matter of chance, the numbers provided by the AI turned out to be the golden ticket.
From Disbelief to a Shocking Win
Two days after playing the numbers, while in a meeting, Edwards received a startling alert on her phone: "Please collect your lottery winnings." Her immediate reaction was disbelief, assuming it had to be a scam. "I know I didn't win," she confessed. It was only after she confirmed the news that she realized she was the surprise winner of the Virginia Powerball drawing.
A Heartfelt Donation Over Personal Gain
What happened next is what makes this story so remarkable. In a move that shocked many around her, Edwards chose to donate 100 percent of her winnings to charity. She briefly considered keeping half and donating the other half, but she ultimately decided to give the entire amount to causes that were deeply important to her. One of the primary beneficiaries is an organization dedicated to dementia research, a cause with a very personal connection.
Turning Luck Into a Lasting Legacy
Edwards' incredible generosity was inspired by her late husband, Steve, who passed away in 2023 due to frontotemporal degeneration. Steve was an American hero who was at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks and captured the historic photograph of a flag being draped on the damaged building. Edwards felt that he would have wholeheartedly approved of her decision to use the winnings for a greater good.
Her story stands in stark contrast to the common lottery tales of lavish spending and financial mistakes. For Carrie Edwards, the prize was never about the money; it was about honoring her husband's memory and supporting the causes he held dear, turning a stroke of luck into a powerful and lasting legacy.
