Luck, timing, and a Michigan player who outsourced her numbers to a chatbot—and walked away $100,000 happier.

Tammy Carvey, 45, isn’t a daily lottery grinder. She waits for the big multi-state jackpots to get interesting. When Powerball climbed past $1 billion ahead of the September 6 drawing, she did something very 2025: she asked ChatGPT for numbers, bought her ticket on the Michigan Lottery website, and called it a day.

What Hit

Later, Tammy checked the results and saw she’d matched four white balls plus the Powerball—real money territory. The winning numbers that night were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62 and Powerball 17, from a drawing where the $1.8 billion jackpot was split by winners in Texas and Missouri.

At first, a quick search suggested a $50,000 prize. Then she logged into her Michigan Lottery account and remembered she’d added Power Play. Final tally: $100,000. She and her husband headed to Lansing to claim the prize.

The Plan

No flashy purchases—Tammy’s using the win to pay off the house and save the rest. Fewer bills, calmer heartbeat.

A Quick Reality Check

The Michigan Lottery’s reminder: drawing results are random. AI can’t predict them, lucky socks can’t sway them. Tammy didn’t find a loophole—she took a smart swing, added Power Play, and double-checked her account.

Powerball Basics

• Available in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Drawings: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.
• Tickets cost $2 (Power Play optional).

Have fun, set a budget, and remember: whether your numbers come from AI, a birthday, or your lunch order, the math stays the math.

Sometimes the math smiles anyway. Just ask Tammy—and her very relieved mortgage.