Sparrow surprise leads Akron man to $1.2M lottery windfall
Akron, OH — A lunchtime encounter with a small bird turned into a $1.2M lottery payout for an Akron man who later uncovered a top prize hidden in a scratch-off ticket he nearly misunderstood.
The man said a sparrow flew into his car and landed on the passenger-side floor while he was eating lunch, an event he viewed as unusual at the time. About a week later, he stopped at Carnegie Pantry at the BP station on Carnegie Avenue, where he purchased three Set for Life scratch-off tickets.
After returning to work, he scratched the tickets later that evening. The first was not a winner, but the second revealed the word Life, prompting him to scan it using the Ohio Lottery app. Initially believing he had won $120,000, he contacted his wife to share the news.
A closer review of the ticket showed the prize was significantly larger. The ticket carried the game’s top prize of $10,000 per month for 20 years, totaling $2.4M. The winner chose the lump sum option of $1.2M and, after taxes, is expected to receive $879,000.
The winner and his wife said they plan to consult a financial advisor before making decisions about the funds.
Set for Life is a $10 Ohio Lottery scratch-off game with overall odds of 1 in 3.63. As of Wednesday, one top prize remains unclaimed.
Key Points
- Akron man won $1.2M lump sum from Set for Life scratch-off
- Prize originally appeared as $120,000 before full value confirmed
- Winning ticket purchased at BP station on Carnegie Avenue
