Husband's Powerball mistake earns Iowa couple $150,000

Feb. 10 (UPI) -- An Iowa woman said her husband's mistake in marking down her Powerball numbers ended up earning the couple a $150,000 prize.

Barbara Haley, 68, of Sioux City, told Iowa Lottery officials she has been using the same set of numbers, which represent family birthdays, to play Powerball for more than 30 years.

Haley said her husband, Steve, was supposed to mark the numbers 5-9-17-27-28 and the Powerball 14 on the play slip at East End Car Wash in Sioux City, but he mistakenly marked an 8 instead of the 9.

The couple didn't notice the mistake until they tried to claim what they thought was a $300 prize.

"I started buying groceries and Steve went to cash it in," Haley said. "That's when we found out. I get paged to the front while I'm shopping, and they're like, 'Barb Haley, come to customer service.' I'm like, 'Oh, he probably just doesn't know where I am in the store.'"

The ticket, which matched four white balls and the Powerball, was a $150,000 winner.

"We thought we were going to get $300. Because he put an 8 instead, we got $150,000," the winner said.

Haley said her days of teasing her husband about his eyesight have come to an end.

"I'm always saying, 'Why don't you just wear your glasses?' I'm going to quit complaining to him," she said.

Haley said she and Steve haven't decided what to do with their winnings.

"I'm sure we'll keep things status quo," she said. "We haven't really decided. It all just happened kind of fast."