Winner's own family likens actual win reaction to prank

By Kate Northrop

LYNWOOD, Wash. — A Washington man's family mistook his genuine reaction to winning $2 million in the lottery as an elaborate April Fools' prank, and it took quite some convincing before they believed him.

Family members had different responses to a Washington man's $2 million lottery win — namely pure disbelief and worry — but no one thought for a second that his supposed prize was nothing more than an April Fools' joke.

In late March, a Bothell resident, who identified himself as "S.M.W." in the Washington's Lottery's press release to hide his identity, visited the 76 gas station on Alderwood Mall Parkway in Lynnwood to purchase a few lottery tickets.

Much to his disappointment, the scratch-off ticket he intended on buying was sold out, so he picked out a different game: a $30 "$2,000,000 Jackpot" instant ticket. Unbeknownst to him, the substitution was far from unfortunate.

"Later that day, I tried checking my tickets but couldn't see if I had won on this particular ticket, so I called the Lottery office," S.M.W. told the Lottery. "As they were verifying, I jokingly said 'hopefully it's one of those $2 million ones!' They said it was — and I just started screaming. My fiancée came downstairs because she thought something was wrong."

The visceral reaction to finding out he won the lottery started a chain reaction of confused looks and skepticism. Several days later, S.M.W. revealed the win to a few family members, but he was met with a lukewarm reaction. Rather than excitedly sharing his joy, they found themselves questioning whether it was real.

April 1st, or April Fools' Day, was just around the corner — could this be just an elaborate prank?

But the winner had to visit the Lottery to claim his prize. Surely, they would eventually be convinced that it was indeed real. With some convincing, the winner got his family to see that he had definitely won a $2 million top prize in a scratch-off game.

A few days after collecting the prize, S.M.W. and his fiancée toured a house they loved and made an offer on it. They recently found out that their offer had been accepted.

"None of this would be possible without Washington's Lottery," S.M.W. said. "The timing just aligned perfectly."

S.M.W. claimed the last of two remaining top prizes of $2 million in the $30 "$2,000,000 Jackpot" game, which launched in January. Since the last top prize got it, the game is being pulled from retail, Washington's Lottery informed Lottery Post. Players have until Nov. 3, 2025 to claim any prizes they may have won from the game.

The overall odds of winning any prize in the game were 1 in 3.1.