Lucky Caroline County man wins $1 million Virginia Lottery scratcher prize in Ashland
VIRGINIA - An anonymous Caroline County man is celebrating after winning a $1 million top prize in a Virginia Lottery scratch-off game.
What we know:
The man purchased a ticket from The Big Ticket: Cold Hard Cash game at the Shop N Drive located at 10292 E. Patrick Henry Road in Ashland.
After scratching the ticket, he realized he had won the game’s $1 million top prize, according to the Virginia Lottery.
Under Virginia law, any winner of a prize worth $1 million or more may claim the prize anonymously. The Lottery does not publicly disclose the winner’s identity in those cases.
Payout choice
The winner had two options: receive the full $1 million paid out over 30 years or take a one-time cash option of $476,000 before taxes. He chose the cash option.
Lottery officials said the winner plans to purchase a vehicle and invest some of his winnings. He also said he may use part of the money to start a business.
About the game
The Big Ticket: Cold Hard Cash is one of dozens of scratcher games offered by the Virginia Lottery. It features prizes ranging from $20 to $1 million.
This is the second top prize claimed in the game, meaning one $1 million top prize remains unclaimed.
The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 720,000, while the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 2.93, according to the Lottery.
Where lottery money goes
All Virginia Lottery profits go to K-12 education in the state.
The winner lives in Caroline County, which received more than $4.4 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year.
In Fiscal Year 2025, the Virginia Lottery raised more than $901 million for K-12 education, making up approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget, according to the Lottery.
The Source: This article was written using information provided by the Virginia Lottery.