A Virginia Food Lion stop turned into a seven-figure surprise the grandmother nearly missed
PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA – A Virginia grandmother thought her scratch-off ticket had delivered a modest $10 win until her granddaughter took another look and discovered the ticket was actually worth the game’s $1 million top prize.
The grandmother and granddaughter were shopping together at the Food Lion located at 9030 Pocahontas Trail in Providence Forge when the grandmother decided to buy a Virginia Lottery 20X the Money scratch-off ticket.
After scratching the ticket, she believed she had won $10 and was pleased with the result.
Her granddaughter looked at the ticket and realized her grandmother had substantially underestimated the prize.
The ticket had hit the game’s $1 million top prize.
Both women chose to remain anonymous, an option available to Virginia Lottery winners under state law.
The winners were given a choice between receiving the full $1 million prize over 30 years or taking a one-time cash payment of $476,000 before taxes.
They selected the cash option and split it evenly, with the grandmother and granddaughter each receiving $238,000 before taxes.
The 20X the Money game offers prizes ranging from $10 to $1 million.
The winning ticket represented the second $1 million top prize claimed in the game, leaving three top prizes unclaimed at the time of the Lottery’s announcement.
The odds of winning the $1 million top prize are 1 in 1,664,640, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.65.
The ticket was purchased in New Kent County.
According to the Virginia Lottery, the county received more than $1.6 million in Lottery funding for K-12 education during the last fiscal year.
Statewide, the Lottery reported generating more than $914 million for K-12 education during Fiscal Year 2026.
Key Points
- A grandmother initially believed her 20X the Money scratch-off had won $10 before her granddaughter discovered it was actually a $1 million top-prize ticket.
- The ticket was purchased at Food Lion at 9030 Pocahontas Trail in Providence Forge.
- The anonymous winners chose the $476,000 cash option and split it, receiving $238,000 each before taxes.