Virginia Man Wins $500,000 with Magnificent 7s Scratcher Ticket

The Virginia Lottery currently offers a wide range of scratcher games, with prizes ranging from $20 to $500,000.

The Big Win

Gomes’s win marks the first top prize awarded from the Magnificent 7s game. After finishing his shift and on his way to buy some chicken for dinner, he decided to purchase the ticket.

Upon scratching it off in the parking lot, Gomes discovered he had won the game’s $500,000 top prize. When asked about his plans for the winnings, Gomes said, “I really didn’t believe it! It feels great,” and mentioned that he wants to pay for a vacation he had planned before the win.

Prize Details and Remaining Opportunities

With one top prize from Magnificent 7s already claimed, two more top prizes remain. The overall odds of winning a prize from the scratch-off ticket are 1 in 5.9, while the chances of winning the top prize are 1 in 612,000.

Besides the top prizes, Magnificent 7s also offers three second-tier prizes of $10,000 each, all of which remain unclaimed. Out of five $2,000 prizes, only one remains unclaimed. Each scratch-off ticket costs $10.

Contribution to Education

Profits from the Virginia Lottery benefit K-12 education in the state. Last fiscal year, Halifax County, where Gomes resides, received more than $4.4 million in K-12 education funding from the Lottery. Additionally, the Lottery raised approximately $867 million for K-12 education in Fiscal Year 2023, representing 10% of the state’s total K-12 education budget.

Gomes’s Reaction and Plans

The winner’s excitement was evident when he collected his winnings last week. Gomes shared his disbelief and joy, saying, “I really didn’t believe it! It feels great,” while collecting the $500,000 prize. It is important to note that this amount is before the applicable taxes in Virginia.