Wednesday, September 16, 2026
By Submitted Story on July 26, 2019
Michelle and Dennis Woolwine of Charles Town, West Virginia are dreaming of life on the Outer Banks after they won a $1 million Powerball prize about two weeks ago.
“It’s always been a dream of ours to retire to the Outer Banks,” Michelle said. “It’s our spot. We vacation there every year.”
“This is just incredible,” Dennis said. “Now that we won, we can do this. We can actually invest in our dreams.”
The couple’s good fortune occurred during their vacation when they stopped at the Circle K on South Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills. “We were on the way to check into the beach house when the gas light on my car came on,” Dennis said. “I went inside to get a drink and decided I’d
also get a lottery ticket. I don’t normally play, but since we were in our paradise, I figured I’d start dreaming.”
Dennis bought a $2 Powerball ticket for the July 13, drawing. He found out he won the next morning. The ticket matched the numbers on the five white balls to win $1,000,000.
It beat odds of one in 11.7 million.
“I felt like the breath got sucked out of me,” Dennis said. “I looked at the ticket at least 50 times.”
The couple claimed the prize on the morning of July 26 at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.
After required state and federal tax withholdings, they took home $707,501. In addition to saving for retirement, they plan to set up college funds for their two children.
“I have goosebumps,” Dennis said when he got the check. “It still doesn’t feel real.”
Comments
Darkseas
Congratulations Michelle and Dennis!
Now comes the difficult part. Requests for money from relatives, friends, neighbors, charities, financial advisors, and con artists. And the temptation to spend on expensive things and to have the lifestyle you’ve always wanted.
That’s why many lottery winners end up with nothing not many years later. The good advice from academics who have studied lottery winners is to keep your day jobs for a while and don’t make any big spending or investment decisions immediately. Pay off your outstanding bills and park your money in something safe until you have a better idea what to do with it.
Sadly, the money you’re left with will get you a nice mid-sized OBX house (but not on the ocean) and college funds for your two children. And really nothing more.
Beachy
But that’s a lot! A reasonable retirement home, not too much to take care of, and college paid for the kids. That’s ideal. Enough to live a pleasant life, not so much as to get completely carried away with it.
KHer
Congrats on the win! Spend the money smart. $700,000 ain’t what it used to be! (I’m not kidding).
Manteobxr
How to make a small fortune? Start with a bigger one and move to the outer banks!
Justin
OMG !!! Aunt Michelle and Uncle Dennis we are reunited at last ! I thought I’d never find you !
KHer
Now that right there is funny…………….no matter who you are! (Larry the Cable Guy)