A Virginia woman won a $2 million lottery prize after mistakenly receiving the wrong scratch-off ticket at a store.
Kelly Lindsey, of Carrollton, had intended to buy her usual Virginia Lottery scratcher but was given a different one by accident. Although initially frustrated, she decided to scratch the Money Blitz ticket in the parking lot instead of exchanging it. To her surprise, it turned out to be a jackpot winner.
“And I got over not being happy about it!” Lindsey told lottery officials when she claimed her prize.
Lindsey had two options: receive $2 million through annual payments over 30 years or take a lump sum of $1.25 million. She chose the one-time cash payout.
Her win is the second top prize claimed in the Money Blitz game. One more $2 million jackpot remains unclaimed. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 1,142,400, while the odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.29.
All profits from the Virginia Lottery benefit public education. Last year, the lottery raised over $934 million, covering about 10% of Virginia’s K-12 education budget. Lindsey lives in Isle of Wight County, which received $3.7 million in lottery funding last year alone.
Like other gambling winnings, lottery prizes are taxed as income. Winners must report their prize on tax returns and typically receive a W-2G form. For winnings over $5,000, the IRS withholds 28% for federal taxes. State taxes vary, with some states taking up to 15%. However, a few states — including Florida, Texas, and Nevada — have no state income tax.Lindsey’s unexpected win is a reminder that sometimes a wrong turn can lead to a lucky break.
