A woman from Wyandotte, Michigan, recently claimed a $100,000 Powerball prize after using an artificial intelligence tool, ChatGPT, to select her winning numbers. Tammy Carvey, 45, matched four white balls and the Powerball in the drawing held on September 6, 2023, with her winnings doubling due to the Power Play option.
Carvey's unexpected win has drawn attention to the role of AI in everyday life, even in games of chance. She stated that she only participates in Powerball when the jackpot reaches a significant amount.
Key Takeaways
- Tammy Carvey won $100,000 in Powerball using ChatGPT for numbers.
- She matched four white balls and the Powerball on September 6, 2023.
- Carvey plans to pay off her home with the prize money.
- Michigan Lottery emphasizes that lottery results are random and cannot be predicted by AI.
AI's Role in Lottery Number Selection
Tammy Carvey explained her decision to use artificial intelligence for her lottery ticket. "I only play Powerball when the jackpot gets up there and the jackpot was over $1 billion so I bought a ticket," Carvey said in a press release. She then turned to technology for assistance. "I asked ChatGPT for a set of Powerball numbers and those are the numbers I played on my ticket."
The numbers provided by the AI tool ultimately led to her substantial win. Carvey expressed her astonishment following the drawing. "My husband and I were in total disbelief," she added.
"I asked ChatGPT for a set of Powerball numbers and those are the numbers I played on my ticket."
ā Tammy Carvey, Powerball Winner
Understanding ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an advanced artificial intelligence model developed by OpenAI, an AI research and deployment company. It is designed to understand and generate human-like text based on the input it receives. While it can perform various tasks, including answering questions and generating creative content, its primary function is not to predict random outcomes.
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, focuses on creating and deploying AI systems. Their website provides details on the technology behind tools like ChatGPT, which are built on large language models trained on vast amounts of text data.
Prize Details and Future Plans
Carvey's winning ticket matched four of the five white balls drawn, along with the red Powerball. This combination typically yields a $50,000 prize. However, because she opted for the Power Play feature, her winnings were doubled to $100,000.
Powerball Facts
- Powerball tickets cost $2 per play.
- The Power Play option costs an additional $1 and can multiply non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times.
- The maximum Power Play multiplier for prizes over $1 million is $2 million.
- Double Play offers a second chance to win up to $10 million for an extra $1 per play.
When asked about her plans for the prize money, Carvey stated her intention to use the funds responsibly. Her immediate goal is to settle her mortgage. "I plan to pay off my home with my winnings, then save the rest," she confirmed.
Michigan Lottery's Stance on Predictions
Following Carvey's win, the Michigan Lottery issued a reminder to the public regarding the nature of lottery drawings. The organization stressed that the outcomes of these drawings are entirely random.
According to the Michigan Lottery, tools like AI or other number-generating software cannot predict future winning numbers. Each drawing is an independent event, and previous results or algorithmic predictions have no bearing on subsequent outcomes.
How Powerball Works
Powerball tickets are available for purchase at Lottery retailers across Michigan and online through the michiganlottery.com website. Each standard play costs $2.
Players have the option to add "Power Play" for an additional $1. This feature can multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times, though the maximum multiplied prize is capped at $2 million. Another option, "Double Play," also costs an additional $1 per play and provides a second chance to win up to $10 million in a separate nightly drawing.
Powerball drawings occur three times a week: on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The game is played across 45 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, making it one of the most widely available lottery games in the United States.