Lottery player reads story of woman winning big in Virginia
$5,000 Welcome Bonus
When Melissa Hood read about someone else’s big win in a Virginia Lottery online game, she thought it would never happen to her.
Then she won.
The Virginia woman also plays online lottery games, but didn’t imagine the same good fortune would come her way when she was reading the news story about another woman’s win, the Virginia Lottery shared in a Dec. 5 news release.
“Yeah, like that’s going to happen,” she recalled thinking to herself, according to the lottery.
Hood won a $463,343 jackpot in The Lamp online game, officials said.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she told lottery officials. “This is really happening!”
The King George County gymnastics coach said she doesn’t have plans for her winnings yet.
“All Virginia Lottery profits go to K-12 education in Virginia,” lottery officials said. King George County “received more than $2 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year.”
The Lamp has a progressive jackpot that grows until someone wins it. The odds of winning a prize in the game are 1 in 3.55.
King George County is on the Virginia-Maryland state line about 60 miles south of Washington, D.C.
Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
