Lottery enthusiasts relive the shock of winning twice
By Kate Northrop
RAVENNA, Ohio — An Ohio couple who played the lottery together for years bought a $50 ticket on a whim and watched it pay off to the tune of $15 million, the greatest win they've ever shared.
After having played the lottery together for years, one Ohio couple purchased a $50 scratch-off ticket that turned out to be the game's top-prize winner of $15 million.
While visiting a Circle K on Chestnut Street in Ravenna, the anonymous woman picked out a ticket from the Ohio Lottery's "50th Anniversary" scratch-off game.
The both of them took it home before playing it, and once she scratched the ticket off, neither one believed what they were seeing.
They scanned the ticket through the Lottery's mobile app, and when the screen flashed back a $600,000 prize, they finally began to believe they had actually won.
Then came the second surprise: when they realized the $600,000 was per year for 25 years, for a total of $15 million, they relived the shock of the win all over again.
The next day, the pair called off work and took the ticket to the Lottery's regional office to confirm the win in person, which officials were happy to do.
For winning the top prize, the anonymous couple had the option of claiming the prize as either a cash option of $7.5 million or a 25-year annuity for the full $15 million amount. They decided to take the cash option, and after mandatory tax withholdings, they took home $5,493,750.
They plan to use the winnings to invest and provide for their children.
Following the win, there remains just one more top prize of $15 million or $600,000 a year for 25 years in the $50 "50th Anniversary" scratch-off game. There are also seven second-tier prizes of $50,000 and three third-tier prizes of $100,000 or $40,000 a year for 25 years remaining.
The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.97.
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WOW from 15 million to 7.5 million lump sum to 5.4 million take home think they should have taken the annuity .
Congrats to the winners!!!
It's probably been 10 years since I've regularly scratched, but the advertised prize was never an annuity. Some time ago I was looking at the WA lottery website and some of the tickets showed as an annuity. Now I'm looking and it's not showing any tickets as annuities. I guess it varies by state... Our $30 ticket has a top prize of $2 million. It will be interesting to see what the top prize will be for the $50 ticket when it comes out next year.
"The next day, the pair called off work and took the ticket to the Lottery's regional office to confirm the win in person, which officials were happy to do."
Sorry boss, am not coming in today, got a really bad toothache
Congratulation
on the win.
I think I would have taken the annuity as well, not sure though, I can say that now without a winning ticket in my hands, but if I win I would maybe do the opposite who knows. But again it depends with the age of the couple.
Have never played any scratch off ticket. The day I do, it maybe a $5 ticket. $50 is way out of my league, I can afford it but I cringe at the thought of spending that on one ticket and win zero
.
I am happy for the couple., the choice to spend $50 paid off.
It's better not to start. I played $20 tickets a lot 10 years ago, but never won anything of any significance. I played $30 a few times when they first came out with those, but I didn't like the outcome either. $50 is definitely expensive, but I guess people are buying them up. Texas has $100 tickets... I've pretty much stopped playing all scratch... On a rare occasion I'll buy one and lose and then it's a reminder of why I stopped playing them.
I am definitely taking your advice. Will stick with my $1 to $5 lottery tickets.
I think the instant nature of the scratch off tickets can be very tempting, I have seen folks buy one, move to the side scratch it and come back to the counter to get another ticket.
* There's no news like good news.
Congratulations!
Guess I need to head to Circle K!