What really happens behind the scenes when a Powerball jackpot hits $1 billion?

In this episode, Timothy Schultz interviews Melanie Mesaros, an official spokesperson for the Oregon Lottery, who breaks down what actually occurs when the jackpot reaches historic levels. She explains how winning tickets are verified, why some winners’ names are not released immediately, what surprises people most after a major win, and how the lottery prepares for massive public interest during record rollovers.

They discuss common myths about lottery play, how odds really work, what happens the moment a winning ticket is scanned, and what new winners should expect when they walk into the lottery office.

This conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look from inside a state lottery — delivered in a calm, factual, and accessible way for anyone who has ever imagined winning big.

Lottery, Dreams & Fortune is hosted by Powerball winner Timothy Schultz. New episodes feature lottery winners, experts, and guests exploring intuition, manifestation, sudden wealth, and the mysteries behind extraordinary luck.

In this powerful episode of Lottery, Dreams & Fortune, Timothy Schultz speaks with Jim, who shares the unforgettable true story of how his family unknowingly destroyed a $1 million winning game piece during the Super Bowl in 1992.

At just eleven years old, Jim watched his family celebrate what they believed was a life-changing win—only to slowly realize the ticket was gone. What followed, he says, felt “like someone had passed away.”

This is not an episode about strategy or advice. It’s a deeply human conversation about loss, perspective, and how moments of luck can transform into lifelong lessons. Jim reflects on how the experience shaped him, how his family coped with the aftermath, and what he hopes others take away from a story that still surprises people decades later.

Nicole won $1 million on an Ohio Lottery scratch ticket — and she believes God guided the moment. In this conversation, we talk about the win, her husband passing out when he realized it, the list she placed in the Bible years earlier, the claim process, and what this experience taught her about faith, intuition, and unexpected blessings.

Hosted by Timothy Schultz — Powerball winner, journalist, and host of Lottery, Dreams and Fortune.