Repeat Lottery Win: Woman Beats Billion-to-One Odds

A Campbell County woman has accomplished what statisticians describe as virtually impossible, winning a $100,000 lottery prize for the second time in her life. Sharon Godsey of Concord recently claimed a substantial Powerball prize from the March 31 drawing, an extraordinary achievement that follows her identical $100,000 win from a scratch-off ticket purchased in 2013.

“I just hit the floor! My knees collapsed,” Godsey told Virginia Lottery officials, describing her reaction to the realization that lightning had indeed struck twice. Her winning ticket, purchased at Carson Market on Village Highway in Concord, matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball in the March 31 drawing, according to Shore News Network.

While most lottery players spend decades hoping for a single significant win, Godsey has now experienced the life-changing moment twice within 12 years—a statistical anomaly that mathematics experts calculate likely exceeds odds of one in several billion. Her remarkable fortune has sparked conversations about probability, persistence, and whether certain individuals truly possess extraordinary luck.

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Strategic Play: The Dollar That Doubled Her Fortune

Godsey’s recent windfall wasn’t purely the result of cosmic fortune—strategy played a crucial role. Her ticket matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball, a combination typically worth $50,000. However, Godsey had opted to pay an extra dollar for the Power Play option, which doubled her prize to $100,000 when the 2X multiplier was drawn for that drawing.

The winning numbers for the March 31 drawing were 12, 41, 44, 52, 64, with Powerball number 25. Godsey used a mix of what she calls her “favorite numbers” rather than quick-pick random selection, suggesting a deliberate approach to her lottery play that has now paid dividends twice.

This strategic decision to add Power Play protection highlights how knowledgeable players can improve their potential returns in lottery games. While the base odds remain unchanged, multiplier options can significantly enhance secondary prizes when fortune strikes.

The Twelve-Year Wait: Persistence Pays Off

Godsey’s first brush with lottery fortune came in 2013 when she purchased a Sapphire Riches scratch-off ticket that revealed a $100,000 prize. Rather than considering herself “set for life” after that initial windfall, she continued purchasing tickets over the years, maintaining hope that lightning might strike twice.

For most players, this persistence would go unrewarded—lottery officials note that repeat winners of this magnitude are extraordinarily uncommon. While small repeat wins occur with some regularity, dual six-figure prizes separated by years represent a nearly inconceivable statistical anomaly.

Godsey’s hometown of Concord has approximately 1,700 residents, making her status as a double lottery winner all the more remarkable within such a small community. Her consecutive strokes of luck have transformed her into a local legend and the subject of considerable interest among probability theorists.

Beyond the Numbers: Education Funding Impact

While Godsey’s individual good fortune captures headlines, the broader impact of Virginia’s lottery extends throughout the commonwealth through education funding. Her home of Campbell County received more than $8 million in K-12 education funding from the Virginia Lottery during the last fiscal year—just a portion of the more than $934 million generated for public education statewide in FY 2024.

These funds support essential educational programs across Virginia, from classroom resources and teacher development to technology infrastructure and facility improvements. Each ticket purchased, including Godsey’s winning Powerball entry, contributes to this vital mission regardless of whether it produces a winner.

This educational funding represents the primary public benefit of lottery operations, creating positive community impact that extends far beyond the relatively few players who experience significant wins. For communities like Concord, these education dollars provide crucial support for local schools and students.

The Mathematics of the Miraculous

The statistical improbability of Godsey’s achievement cannot be overstated. According to UPI, the odds of winning a $50,000 Powerball prize by matching four numbers plus the Powerball stand at approximately 1 in 913,000—already a highly unlikely event for any individual drawing.

Her previous scratch-off win carried its own separate probability, typically around 1 in several hundred thousand for top prizes. When compound probability is applied to both events occurring for the same individual, mathematics experts calculate that experiencing both wins would likely exceed odds of one in several billion.

For perspective, the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are approximately 1 in 1.2 million, making Godsey’s double lottery fortune significantly less likely than being struck by lightning multiple times or even winning an Olympic gold medal.

The Lucky Location: Carson Market’s Moment

Carson Market on Village Highway in Concord now joins the ranks of what some players consider “lucky” lottery retailers after selling Godsey’s $100,000 winning ticket. While the Virginia Lottery emphasizes that all properly functioning terminals have identical odds of producing winning tickets, many players develop location superstitions.

For small retailers like Carson Market, selling winning tickets often brings additional business as hopeful players seek to capture some of the location’s perceived luck. While Virginia doesn’t provide substantial bonuses to retailers for selling lower-tier winning tickets, the publicity often leads to increased ticket sales—creating secondary economic benefits for local businesses.

Whether Godsey will return to Carson Market for future purchases remains unknown, but her remarkable streak suggests she might have developed winning intuition about both games and retailers.

Looking Forward: Could Lightning Strike Thrice?

As Godsey processes her remarkable repeat fortune, the inevitable question arises: could there possibly be a third major win in her future? While probability suggests the answer is an emphatic “no,” her history already defies conventional mathematical expectations.

Financial advisors typically recommend that repeat lottery winners exercise particular caution with subsequent prizes. The psychological phenomenon known as “house money effect” can lead individuals to take greater risks with winnings than they would with regular income.

For now, Godsey joins an extraordinarily exclusive club of multiple major prize winners—a distinction that sets her apart from virtually all other lottery players. Whether her remarkable fortune represents pure chance or some uncanny cosmic favor remains one of those delightful mysteries that keep millions of hopeful players purchasing tickets week after week.

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