Surprised wife ‘almost fainted’ at news of husband’s lottery win in South Carolina
A South Carolina man surprised his wife with news that he won the lottery — then she “almost fainted.”
The husband also had a strange feeling when he realized he was getting much richer, officials said June 9 in a news release.
“I was numb for a couple of days,” he told the S.C. Education Lottery. “It’s a nice cushion. I can save for my kid’s college and do some stuff around the house.”
The winner scored a $200,000 prize after a post-work trip to a Greenville convenience store. While at the Quick Stop on North Main Street, he bought a ticket for the Payday Bonus Play game, officials said.
It turns out, the man beat 1-in-900,000 odds to win the game’s top prize. Officials said “he looked at the ticket 10 times before believing he won” and went home so his wife could see it for herself.
“He explained to her how to play, and then he covered the prizes on the ticket with a piece of paper,” the S.C. Education Lottery said in its release. “When he slid the paper down to reveal his $200,000 prize to her, she almost fainted.”
The winner, whose name wasn’t shared publicly, kept $138,000 after taxes, lottery spokesperson Holli Armstrong told McClatchy News in an email.
It’s not the first time someone has scored a windfall before or after work.
Earlier in June, officials said a man played the lottery before he went to work — but didn’t think his jackpot win was “enough to retire.”
Last year, a North Carolina worker was heading to his job when he stopped for coffee and tried his luck on a prize-winning ticket, McClatchy News reported.
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 June 10, 2022 at 10:51 AM with the headline "Surprised wife ‘almost fainted’ at news of husband’s lottery win in South Carolina."
