ChatGPT Helps Virginia Woman Win $150,000 Lottery, Donates Entire Prize

Artificial intelligence has been credited with everything from writing essays to diagnosing illnesses. Now, it has also played a role in helping a woman in the United States win the lottery.

Carrie Edwards of Virginia won big in the September 8 Virginia Lottery Powerball drawing after turning to ChatGPT for help. She asked the AI to generate her numbers, which ended up matching four of the first five numbers along with the Powerball. That gave her a prize of $50,000. Since she had opted for the $1 Power Play feature, her winnings tripled to $150,000 (about ₹1.32 crore), according to the New York Post.

Edwards recalled that she had casually asked the AI for numbers while buying her ticket. "I'm like, ChatGPT, talk to me... Do you have numbers for me?" she said at a press conference.

Two days later, she received a message on her phone telling her to claim her prize. At first, she thought it was a scam. "I thought, 'I know I didn't win,'" Edwards said. But she soon realised that the AI-generated numbers had indeed earned her a six-figure jackpot.

Donating It All to Charity

For Edwards, the unexpected win was not about luxury or financial comfort. Instead, she said she immediately knew what she wanted to do with it. "As soon as that divine windfall happened and came down upon my shoulders, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it. And I knew I needed to give it all away, because I've been so blessed, and I want this to be an example of how other people, when they're blessed, can bless other people," she explained.

She pledged the entire $150,000 to three causes close to her heart. The first is the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), which supports research into the disease that claimed her husband's life in 2024. The second donation will go to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit working to reduce food insecurity through sustainable farming and food justice programs. The third beneficiary is the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which provides support to service members and their families.

A Story of Luck and Generosity

While many lottery winners dream of vacations, cars, or financial security, Edwards described her win as a blessing she wanted to share. Her act of donating the entire prize has drawn widespread attention, both for the unusual role of ChatGPT in her win and for her remarkable generosity.