Virginia man discovers $100,000 lottery ticket after weeks in his truck

Virginia man discovers $100,000 lottery ticket after weeks in his truck

by
July 9, 2026

A Hanover County man unknowingly carried a $100,000 winning Scratch-Off ticket in his truck for weeks before a store scanner revealed the prize.

RICHMOND, Va. — A Hanover County man is celebrating a $100,000 Virginia Lottery Scratch-Off prize after unknowingly carrying the winning ticket in his truck for several weeks.

The anonymous winner said he initially tried to scan the Gold Hard Cash ticket using the Virginia Lottery Rewards app to earn rewards points, but kept receiving an error message.

Instead of throwing the ticket away, he took it to a lottery retailer to have it scanned.

That’s when he discovered the ticket was actually worth the game’s top prize of $100,000.

Virginia law allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, and the Virginia Lottery did not release the winner’s identity.

The winner told lottery officials he plans to use the money to pay bills, make upgrades to his home and save the remaining winnings.

Gold Hard Cash is one of the Virginia Lottery’s Scratch-Off games, offering prizes ranging from $10 to a top prize of $100,000. Lottery officials said this was the second top prize claimed in the game, leaving one $100,000 top prize still unclaimed.

Key Points

  • A Hanover County man unknowingly carried a $100,000 winning lottery ticket in his truck for weeks.
  • He discovered the prize after scanning the ticket at a lottery retailer.
  • The winner plans to pay bills, upgrade his home and save the remaining money.
Local News Report

Local News Report

Chris Quigley is a Staff Writer and Community News Correspondent for Shore News Network, where she covers local government, public safety, community affairs, politics, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on delivering timely, accurate, and relevant news that helps readers stay informed about the communities in which they live and work.

As a member of the Shore News Network editorial team, Quigley works closely with public officials, community leaders, first responders, and local organizations to provide factual coverage of breaking news, municipal government, public policy, and events affecting New Jersey residents. Her work highlights both major developments and the local stories that shape communities across the state.

Quigley is committed to responsible journalism, emphasizing accuracy, source verification, and transparency in every story she reports. She strives to present information in a clear and accessible manner, helping readers better understand the issues, decisions, and events that impact their daily lives.

Through her work at Shore News Network, Chris Quigley contributes to the organization's mission of providing trusted local news coverage, accountability reporting, and community-focused journalism throughout New Jersey.

Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

Degrees: Business B.A. - Stockton University

Experience and interests: Criminal Justice, Business, Animal Care, Entertainment, Lottery News, Local News