WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A routine online ticket purchase turned into a six-figure jackpot for Jerry Phillips, who matched all five numbers in the Virginia Lottery’s Cash 5 with EZ Match game to win $265,000.
Phillips, a resident of James City County, purchased his ticket through the Virginia Lottery’s website. The April 25 drawing produced the winning numbers 8-13-18-25-39 — a perfect match for his entry.
He said he immediately shared the news with his wife, telling her simply, “I won some money!” Though surprised by the outcome, he has no immediate plans for the prize money other than traveling.
The Cash 5 with EZ Match game features a rolling jackpot starting at $200,000. The odds of matching all five numbers are 1 in 1,221,759. Phillips is among the growing number of Virginia players opting to buy tickets through the Lottery’s online platforms, available via mobile app or website.
Virginia Lottery prize supports education funding
According to the Virginia Lottery, all profits from games go toward funding K-12 public education. In the most recent fiscal year, James City County received more than $4.8 million in Lottery proceeds. Across the state, the Lottery contributed over $934 million in education funds in Fiscal Year 2024 — approximately 10% of Virginia’s overall K-12 education budget.
The Virginia Lottery encourages all winners to sign their ticket and store it safely while arranging for claims.