News writer
You see, the jackpot for Cash 5 with EZ Match from the Virginia Lottery reverted back to the game's $200,000 starting point, so you think, “Oh, somebody won it.” Now imagine that “somebody” is actually you!
'Is this real?'
That is exactly what happened to Christopher Leydic, who thought someone else had won the big jackpot now that it was back at its starting point. However, the Chester man didn't know it yet, but he was the winner!
Leydic, who retired from the Army as a first sergeant after 21 years, matched all five of the winning numbers in the August 17 drawing to win the jackpot of $958,740.
The winning numbers for that drawing were 10, 15, 31, 36, and 43. He bought his winning ticket online.
Claiming his big prize
After the big win on August 17, Leydic recently made his way to Virginia Lottery Headquarters to claim his $958,740 jackpot. He told lottery officials, “It was unbelievable! I thought, 'Is this real?'”
With his winnings in hand now, he told officials he had no immediate plans for his winnings, but he does plan on paying some bills and saving.
Cash 5 with EZ Match is a rolling jackpot game that starts at a minimum of $200,000. The odds of matching all five numbers and winning that jackpot are 1 in 1.22 million.
Another lucky player turned his winnings into bigger winnings
Bruce McCluster turned a winning streak into a huge win from the Virginia Lottery!
McCluster initially got some lottery tickets from his wife as a present and he won $46. He turned those tickets in and bought some more, which he ended up winning $490. He then redeemed those winning tickets and bought even more, but this time he won $250,000!
When claiming his winnings at lottery headquarters, he told lottery officials, “I thought it was just $25.”
That was not the case, as the Chase City man won the top prize playing the Print'n Play Bingo Multiplier game from the Virginia Lottery.
McCluster purchased the winning ticket from Gator's Highway 92, located at 14615 Highway 92 in Chase City. He works construction and told lottery officials he has no immediate plans for the money except to pay some bills.
Patience paid off for this winner
Truck driver Steven Miller was making a trip to Kansas when he stopped at Petro Glade Spring, located at 12433 Maple Street in Glade Spring, and decided to buy a Skee-Ball scratcher ticket.
However, he was in no rush to scratch it, as he tucked it away and finally got around to scratching it a few days later. That is when he learned he won the $150,000 top prize for the ticket!
He told lottery officials he couldn't wait to tell his wife he won — but only after he verified it several times!
This was the first top prize claimed for the Skee-Ball game, so there are two more top prizes remaining. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 1.35 million. The odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.94.
Now that Miller has his winnings, he said he is hoping to use that money to start a treatment facility to help people with drug and alcohol addictions.
Enjoy playing the Virginia Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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