National

11 lottery players win big after testing their luck. See their stories

Stories by Real-Time News journalists, with AI summarization

A Maryland grandfather watched his longtime numbers finally hit a $50,000 prize, while siblings carried on their mother's lottery tradition, leading to a $50,000 win using her numbers. A man scanned his winning ticket three times before trusting his $50,000 win was real.

Read the stories below.

A Virginia man won the top prize on a scratch-off ticket, lottery officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 1: LOTTERY PLAYER USES ‘LUCKY PENNY’ FOUND IN PARKING LOT TO SCRATCH TICKET — AND WINS BIG

The Virginia man picked up the penny after buying his ticket, lottery officials said. | Published May 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

A woman won $50,000 playing the Maryland lottery using her mom’s numbers, officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 2: SIBLINGS CONTINUE MOM’S MARYLAND LOTTERY TRADITION — AND ONE HITS BIG WITH HER NUMBERS

The brother called to ask if she had checked her lottery results when she realized she had won. | Published June 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

A Fantasy 5 lottery ticket worth $131,515 was sold at a supermarket in Orlando, according to the Florida Lottery. Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 3: LOTTERY TICKET WORTH MORE THAN $130,000 SOLD AT FLORIDA PUBLIX. HERE’S WHERE

The player won the top prize in the Fantasy 5 drawing. | Published June 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

A Maryland man’s faithful set of lottery numbers finally paid off. Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 4: GRANDPA’S FAITHFUL LOTTERY NUMBERS FAILED HIM FOR DECADES — UNTIL NOW. ‘ABOUT TIME’

“I jumped up for joy,” the Maryland man said. | Published June 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura

Even after scanning his ticket, a Maryland man went to the Kensington 7-Eleven clerk to confirm his Bonus Match 5 win, officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 5: MAN STILL IN DISBELIEF AFTER CHECKING WINNING LOTTERY TICKET 3 TIMES. ‘CAN’T BE REAL’

“Believe me, I was kind of shocked!” the Maryland man said. | Published June 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura

A husband and wife started crying “tears of joy” after they hit the jackpot in North Carolina. N.C. Education Lottery

NO. 6: HUSBAND INTERRUPTS WIFE’S MOVIE WITH NEWS OF LOTTERY WIN. THEN CAME ‘TEARS OF JOY’

“It brought tears to my eyes,” the North Carolina wife said. | Published July 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper

A North Carolina man beat 1-in-1,224,660 odds to win a top prize of $200,000 in a scratch-off lottery game, officials said. N.C. Education Lottery

NO. 7: LOTTERY PLAYER ‘SAW ONE ZERO THEN ANOTHER ZERO THEN ANOTHER’ ON NC SCRATCH-OFF TICKET

The Burke County man won one of six top prizes in the game, lottery officials said. | Published October 14, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

A Michigan man won a huge lottery prize in Portland. Vladimir Sukhachev Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 8: MAN IS ‘ONE STEP CLOSER TO RETIREMENT’ AFTER WINNING HUGE MICHIGAN LOTTERY JACKPOT

“I won $3 on one ticket, so I reinvested my winnings and purchased another one,” the man said. | Published October 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jennifer Rodriguez

Stanley Dawson won a big jackpot prize on Christmas Day in Virginia, lottery officials said. Virginia Lottery

NO. 9: LOTTERY PLAYER ‘CRIED TEARS OF JOY’ WHEN HE WON A CHRISTMAS DAY JACKPOT IN VIRGINIA

The lucky player won big while watching a football game on TV, lottery officials said. | Published January 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Natalie Demaree

A Maryland lottery player won big after listening to advice from a family member, lottery officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

NO. 10: RELATIVE’S ADVICE LEADS LOTTERY PLAYER TO A HUGE WIN. ‘IT WAS LIKE HOLDING DYNAMITE’

The Maryland lottery player said she was considering a different game, but her relative had a game plan, according to lottery officials. | Published February 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Natalie Demaree

Bonny Harmon, pictured with her brother Roland, scored a big jackpot prize in North Carolina. N.C. Education Lottery

NO. 11: CALL INTERRUPTS WOMAN’S WORK MEETING WITH GOOD NEWS — SHE HIT NC LOTTERY JACKPOT

“I thought I was going to pass out,” the lucky winner said. “I had to sit down.” | Published April 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.