Lottery player turns $20 into life-changing jackpot in time for new year in Georgia
A Georgia resident ushered in the new year with a life-changing lottery win.
The lucky player from Collinsville won a $2 million jackpot after trying their luck on a $20 King of Diamonds scratch-off game, the Georgia Lottery said in a news release.
The ticket was sold at RJ’s Mountain Top Country Store in Menlo, about a 100-mile drive northwest from downtown Atlanta.
Officials said the player claimed their winnings Dec. 30, beating odds of 1 in 1.2 million to win the game’s grand prize.
The windfall was one of two multi-million-dollar jackpots won ahead of the new year, according to the Georgia Lottery. Someone in Warner Robins snagged the top prize in the Monopoly $10,000 A Week for Life scratcher — and took home a $6 million lump sum.
In all, more than $51 million in prizes were awarded to scratch-off game winners across the Peach State for the week of Dec. 23, lottery officials said.
Winners have 90 days from the expiration date to claim prizes on instant games and are encouraged to sign the backs of their tickets, the Georgia Lottery said.
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 10:17 AM.