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Woman wins $10 million after accidentally pushing the wrong button on lottery machine

Jackpots, including the Powerball jackpot, are on display in California.
John Locher
/
AP
Jackpots, including the Powerball jackpot, are on display in California.

When a stranger bumps into you, you might get an apology. LaQuedra Edwards got $10 million.

Last November, Edwards had just put $40 into a lottery ticket vending machine at a supermarket in Los Angeles when "some rude person" bumped into her, causing her to accidentally push the wrong number on the machine.

"He just bumped into me, didn't say a thing and just walked out the door," Edwards said.

She usually purchases cheaper tickets, but the accidental button push meant she'd bought a $30 200X Scratchers ticket. Edwards said she was annoyed because she had just dropped most of her money on a single ticket.

But once she was in her car, she started scratching the $30 ticket, and realized she'd won the top prize of $10 million.

"I didn't really believe it at first, but I got on the 405 freeway and kept looking down at (the ticket), and I almost crashed my car," Edwards said. "I pulled over, looked at it again and again, scanned it with my (California Lottery mobile) app, and I just kept thinking this can't be right."

Edwards said she is going to use her winnings to buy a house and start a nonprofit organization.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Deepa Shivaram
Deepa Shivaram is a multi-platform political reporter on NPR's Washington Desk.

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Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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