GRAFTON, OHIO – A Lorain County man bought three Ohio Lottery Scratch-Offs and lost on the first two, but a last-minute gamble on ticket No. 13 turned his final ticket into a $1 million winner.
The Grafton man purchased the tickets at Butternut Food Mart, 34885 Lorain Road in North Ridgeville. The $1,000,000 Stacked game was not one he normally played, but the store owner pointed out that the next ticket was No. 13 — the player’s lucky number.
Even that ticket initially appeared headed for the trash pile. Near the bottom, however, the man discovered the $1 million prize and was “literally in shock,” according to the Ohio Lottery.
Key Points
- A Grafton man won $1 million after choosing a Scratch-Off because it was ticket No. 13, his lucky number.
- His first two Scratch-Off tickets were losers, and he initially thought the third was another losing ticket.
- The winner chose a $40,000-a-year annuity for 25 years and plans to save the money.
Ticket No. 13 Delivers $1M Surprise
The winner had purchased three different Scratch-Off games when the store owner drew his attention to ticket No. 13 in the $20 $1,000,000 Stacked game.
Because 13 was his lucky number, the man decided to take a chance even though he did not normally play that particular game.
After his first two tickets produced nothing, the third initially did not look promising either. He reached the bottom row and, second from the end, discovered he had won $1 million.
“Is this real?” he recalled thinking.
The winner stood in the store for a while before showing the ticket to the owner, folding it in half and leaving, according to the Lottery.
Wife Gets the Ultimate Lottery Surprise
For the winner, one of the highlights came when he shared the news with his wife.
He called her and said he had something to show her but refused to reveal the surprise over the phone. When he arrived home, he handed her the winning ticket.
“Is this yours?” she asked after realizing what she was holding.
“No, it’s OURS,” he replied.
The couple does not have extravagant spending plans. Instead, they intend to save their lottery windfall.
Winner Takes $40K a Year for 25 Years
The Grafton man chose the annuity option, which pays $40,000 annually for 25 years, totaling $1 million before taxes.
The Ohio Lottery said that after 26.75% in federal and state tax withholdings, the winner will receive $732,500 over the prize’s stated value after withholding.
The $1,000,000 Stacked Scratch-Off costs $20 and offers top prizes of $40,000 a year for 25 years. Overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.48, according to the Lottery.
As of Aug. 28, three top prizes remained in the game.
Where was the $1 million winning Scratch-Off sold?
The ticket was purchased at Butternut Food Mart, 34885 Lorain Road in North Ridgeville, Ohio.
Why did the Grafton man choose the winning ticket?
The store owner told him it was ticket No. 13, which the player considers his lucky number, so he decided to try a game he did not normally play.
How will the winner receive the $1 million prize?
He selected an annuity paying $40,000 annually for 25 years and told the Ohio Lottery that he and his wife plan to save their winnings.
Sources: Ohio Lottery winner announcement, Aug. 28, 2026.
