He had ‘never won anything’ — then SC lottery player had an ‘ecstatic’ moment
A South Carolina man scored his first lottery win — and it was a big jackpot prize.
“I never won anything before,” he told the S.C. Education Lottery after finding out his ticket was worth $300,000.
Though the windfall was announced on April Fools’ Day, the prize was no joke. Right after scratching off his ticket, the man took it to his wife so she could take another look, officials said.
“It’s real,” she told him, according to a news release published April 1.
The husband took home the extra cash after a trip to the Corner Stop store in Gaffney, roughly 50 miles northeast of Greenville. There, officials said he played the $300 Grand game even though he didn’t have a history of winning.
The man’s luck took a turn when the ticket he bought beat 1-in-900,000 odds to score the game’s top prize. He said he was shocked about the big win, which allowed him to keep $207,000 after taxes.
“I was ecstatic,” he told the S.C. Education Lottery.
The winner, who didn’t want to be identified publicly, will help family members and save money after getting the prize money, according to the news release and lottery spokesperson Holli Armstrong.
He wasn’t alone in having someone take a second glance at his lottery ticket. One past winner had her relatives check her scratch-off, and another relied on a cashier, McClatchy News reported in 2021.
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 April 1, 2022 at 2:33 PM with the headline "He had ‘never won anything’ — then SC lottery player had an ‘ecstatic’ moment."
