North Carolina trucker scores $500K Virginia Lottery prize
RIDGEWAY, VA — A routine lunch stop at a convenience store in Ridgeway turned into a life-changing moment after a truck driver scratched off a Virginia Lottery ticket worth $500,000.
Billy Walker Jr. of Thomasville, North Carolina, had just finished making a delivery for a trucking company when he stopped at the Circle K located at 6690 Greensboro Road.
While inside the store, Walker decided to purchase a Six Figures scratch-off ticket from the Virginia Lottery.
After returning to his truck, he scratched the ticket and realized he had won the game’s top prize of $500,000.
Walker said the surprise left him stunned. After seeing the winning ticket, he stepped out of his truck, took a photo of the store, and drove home to share the news with his wife.
At the time, his wife was on her way to have dinner at his father’s house when he called and urged her to return home immediately.
Once she arrived, she learned the reason for the sudden request and shared the excitement over the unexpected win.
Walker said he plans to use the prize money to become completely debt-free.
The Six Figures scratch-off is one of several instant games offered by the Virginia Lottery. Walker’s ticket marked the first $500,000 top prize claimed in the game, leaving two additional top prizes still available.
Lottery officials say the odds of winning the game’s top prize are 1 in 897,600, while the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.97.
Virginia Lottery profits support K-12 public education across the state. In the most recent fiscal year, Henry County—where the winning ticket was purchased—received more than $9.9 million in Lottery funding for schools.
During Fiscal Year 2025, the Virginia Lottery generated more than $901 million for K-12 education, accounting for roughly 10 percent of the state’s total public school budget.
Key Points
- A truck driver from North Carolina won $500,000 on a Virginia Lottery scratch-off
- The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on Greensboro Road in Ridgeway
- The winner plans to use the prize money to become debt-free