Gas station stop turns into $1M shock for early morning scratcher winner
Chester, VA — A quick stop on the way to wash his wife’s truck turned into a life-changing moment when a Hopewell man scratched off a $1 million lottery ticket just after sunrise.
The man, who chose to remain anonymous, purchased two Power Payout Multiplier tickets from the Sheetz located at 231 East Hundred Road and scratched them inside the store. One of those tickets revealed the top prize.
Virginia law allows winners of $1 million or more to remain anonymous, and lottery officials confirmed the man opted to keep his identity private.
He later told officials the win came around 6 a.m., describing the moment as unexpected after realizing the ticket was worth $1 million.
The winner selected the one-time cash option of $476,000 before taxes instead of receiving the full prize in annual payments over 30 years. He said he plans to use the money to purchase a home.
According to the Virginia Lottery, Power Payout Multiplier offers prizes ranging from $10 up to $1,000,000. This marks the second top prize claimed in the game, leaving one remaining. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 816,000, while overall odds of winning any prize stand at 1 in 4.14.
Lottery proceeds continue to fund public education across the state. Hopewell City received more than $6.3 million in lottery funds for K-12 education in the last fiscal year, part of more than $901 million contributed statewide.
Support services for gambling-related concerns are available through the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline at 888-532-3500.
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Key Points
- Hopewell man wins $1,000,000 on scratcher during early morning stop
- Winner chooses $476,000 cash option and plans to buy a home
- Ticket purchased at Sheetz in Chester on East Hundred Road