She checked lottery numbers ‘just for giggles’ — and found out she won big in Virginia
A Virginia woman had “low expectations” about her lottery numbers — but discovered that she hit the jackpot.
“I saw that I didn’t win the $100,000 prize, so just for giggles, I decided to check the million-dollar numbers,” Sharon Anderson told the Virginia Lottery. “I thought, ‘There’s no way I’m going to win that.’”
But her hunch was off. It turns out, her ticket matched enough numbers to be worth $1 million, officials said last week in a news release.
Anderson, who works as a restaurant manager, celebrated the big win after officials said she stopped at a Sheetz convenience store in Stuarts Draft. The business is in Augusta County, near Shenandoah National Park and roughly 100 miles northwest of Richmond.
While at the store, Anderson tried her luck on the New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. Her winning ticket was one of four sold in the state that won $1 million.
“It’s unreal,” Anderson told officials as she claimed her prize. “It’s really exciting!”
The Virginia Lottery in its news release didn’t say how much she will take home after taxes. Anderson, who lives in Stuarts Draft, hopes to put her prize money toward retirement.
Though Anderson was wrong about not having a chance of winning big, other predictions have been spot-on.
In North Carolina, officials said a man had a hunch before he bought a lottery ticket that scored a big win.
And another player with a “lucky feeling” won a prize worth $25,000 a year, McClatchy News reported in 2020.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhen gambling is more than a game
Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
This story was originally published February 9, 2022 at 2:23 PM with the headline "She checked lottery numbers ‘just for giggles’ — and found out she won big in Virginia."
