All news

Spare change turns into a $1 million win for Missouri Lotto winner

Second lucky winner claims prize!

Price Chopper, located at 1304 N. 7 Highway in Blue Springs.
Price Chopper, located at 1304 N. 7 Highway in Blue Springs, where the $1 million Missouri Lotto ticket was sold. Photograph credit to Google Maps.
Todd Betzold

Sometimes, taking that spare change you have on hand can pay off — ask this new Missouri Lottery winner, who just claimed their $1 million Lotto jackpot!

From change to millions

The lucky winner was making a pit stop at Price Chopper, located at 1304 N. 7 Highway in Blue Springs. When he got his change back from the purchase, he decided to take that money and purchase a Lotto ticket for the June 15 drawing. It turned out to be a very wise decision, as he won $1 million!

The lucky man told Missouri Lottery officials:

I was picking up a few things and got some change back, so I went to the machine and bought a Lotto ticket.

The winning numbers for that June 15 drawing were 3, 9, 15, 27, 33, and 35, and he happened to match all six of the numbers to win the jackpot. However, there were two lucky tickets that matched that night, so he would split the jackpot, with each getting $1 million.

The other winner had an interesting story, too, as a bridge detour led them to their $1 million win.

'Like a musical cacophony'

The day after the drawing, the lucky winner decided to check his ticket using the state's Lottery app and he got a message he's never seen before. He said it was an “odd response” and it told him that he's won and he needs to check with a retailer.

He told his wife he was going to have to get his tickets checked by a Missouri Lottery retailer. When he did, he joked:

The clerk took the ticket and scanned it, and the machine started making all sorts of noise! It was like a musical cacophony.

When he finally realized he had matched all of the numbers drawn, he was shocked. He said he's “never won something like that.”

A mother's inspiration

While some leftover change inspired that $1 million winner, another recent Missouri Lottery winner happened to be inspired by her late mother. The lucky winner from St. Robert won $50,000 playing the $1,000,000 Black Diamond scratch-off game.

How did her late mom inspire her? When claiming her prize at lottery headquarters, she told officials:

I'd never seen a ticket like that. It's the kind of ticket my mother would have chosen!

That helped her choose the $10 black and silver iridescent ticket. The shiny ticket paid off with a $50,000 win for her. She purchased the winning ticket at Road Ranger, located at 22345 Highway 28 in St. Robert.

According to Missouri Lottery officials, players have won more than $10.3 million in the $1,000,000 Black Diamond scratch-off game so far. However, there still remains over $21.8 million in unclaimed prizes, including two more $50,000 prizes and one more of the $1 million top prize.

Enjoy playing the Missouri Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.

Comments

0
Loading comments

Related articles

Japanese man hides his lottery win
How one jackpot meltdown explains a new trend in lottery planning

His lavish secret life shows why financial counseling is becoming a bigger part of jackpot culture.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

Social media
Social media post lets friend steal lottery prize

This incident in China highlights how sharing lottery images can make digital ticket fraud easy.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

Record Lotto.com win in Massachusetts
Massachusetts breaks record with biggest Lotto.com win to date

A record $2.5M win came from a phone, not a store, showing how digital play is reshaping lottery habits today.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

Publix #1816 on 4000 N. Highway 29 in Newnan, Georgia.
What we know about Georgia's $980M Mega Millions winner

Someone in Newnan just won the eighth-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher

Recent articles

View All
Scratchers offer big prizes
Million-dollar wins pile up as lotteries double down on instant games

How scratch-offs became the lottery's most reliable moneymaker.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher

Hoosier lottery ticket theft case
How a gas station robbery proved lottery tech never sleeps

Lottery officials quickly flagged the stolen tickets, showing how thieves get caught faster than they think.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

Last call for Lucky for Life and Cash4Life
Last call for Lucky for Life before it’s replaced

Draw games to be replaced by Millionaire for Life. Here’s what it means for players.

Halley Bondy profile pic

Halley Bondy

Play responsibly regardless of the season
Why states are urging players to rethink lottery gifts this holiday

This year’s message is louder: early exposure shapes future risks, and states want players to rethink traditions.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold