Lady luck appears to have shone on Thursday on 26-year-old Marie Holmes of North Carolina. She claims to be one of the three winners of the US$546 million Powerball jackpot by betting on the winning number combination of 11, 13, 25, 39, 54 and Powerball 19.

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The mother of four from Brunswick County would share the prize with two other winners from Texas and Puerto Rico. One of Holmes's kids has Cerebral Palsy, forcing her to resign from her jobs in Walmart and McDonald's, which resulted in her struggling financially.

Holmes' ticket, however, has not yet been confirmed as the winner. She told WECT that she thought she would have a heart attack upon learning that she holds the winning ticket, which was sold to Holmes by her uncle.

She plans to place her winnings in a college fund for her children and give some to her church, acknowledging that "I would have none of it if it wasn't for God," quotes Mashable.

While Holmes admits to going through hard times because she has to raise four kids, a son and three daughters, she insists, "I wouldn't trade nothing because they're a blessing."

She plans to consult lawyers and finance experts in Raleigh so she wouldn't end up like past lotto millionaires who regretted winning, help some relatives and probably buy a car and house.

Holmes is the fourth winner from North Carolina.

The two other winners have yet to come forward. If they opt to get the lump sum, the three would divide the smaller amount of US$381 million among themselves or take the US$182 million each in yearly payments.

Besides the three, 17 other bettors who picked five of the six numbers correctly would each receive US$1 million.

Tagspowerball, lotto, millionaire