A Pennsylvania man has become the state’s latest lottery millionaire after a routine pharmacy visit turned into a life-changing moment.
Nick P., a single father from Westmoreland County, about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh, purchased a $20 Millionaire Maker scratch-off ticket while waiting for a prescription refill. To his surprise, the ticket revealed a $1 million prize.
“It just feels really good! I was speechless,” Nick told Pennsylvania Lottery officials. “I couldn’t believe it. I first thought about my two kids. They came to my mind first, and I just felt relief.”
Nick has worked as a mechanic in the car industry for nearly 20 years and juggles a busy schedule between work and parenting duties. “Most of the days I’m cleaning the house or running my kids to hockey practice,” he said.
With his winnings, Nick plans to save for the future and treat his children to some well-deserved time off. “This prize means a great future for my family, and maybe some nice family vacations,” he added.
The store that sold the winning ticket also received a $5,000 bonus.
Across the country, other recent scratch-off winners have shared similarly emotional reactions. In Missouri, a man won $2 million from a Super Cash Bonanza ticket and called his wife with the news—warning her not to crash her car from the shock. In Virginia, a woman who only plays the lottery in December won the state’s New Year’s drawing while away on a trip.
Lottery officials remind players to gamble responsibly and only purchase tickets if they can afford to do so. Several prizes, including million-dollar raffles in other states, remain unclaimed.
