Lottery player wins big as he buys flowers to mark anniversary of grandfather’s death

A college student left in disbelief over his lottery win is crediting his late grandfather for his new fortune.

Myles Jones, 21, said he purchased an X-tra Bingo scratch-off ticket at a grocery store in Washington, Iowa, as he purchased flowers for his mom, aunt and grandmother.

The flowers were bought as “a good gesture” toward his relatives to mark the three-year anniversary of his grandfather’s death, he told Iowa Lottery officials.

When he scratched off the ticket at home, he realized he had won a $25,000 jackpot prize.

“I was just like, ‘Is this a joke?’ I just didn’t know what to believe, honestly,” Jones told lottery officials.

X-Tra Bingo costs $2 to play and offers 26 jackpot prizes. Odds of winning $25,000 are 1 in 242,140.

Myles, who believes his win is “a nod from his grandpa,” plans to pay off student debt with his winnings.

“It was really him just looking out for me,” he said.

Washington is about a 55-mile drive south from Cedar Rapids.

This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 10:26 AM with the headline "Lottery player wins big as he buys flowers to mark anniversary of grandfather’s death."