Virginia man won $1M, and he didn’t even realize it

Updated: Sep 9, 2022 / 02:14 PM CDT

Velasquez is the second person to snap up a million-dollar “20X the Money” ticket since the game’s debut with the Virginia Lottery. (Courtesy of Virginia Lottery)

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A lottery winner from Virginia recently tried to claim a $600 prize on a scratch-off game, only to find out that he had actually won much, much more.

Jose Velasquez, of Annandale, went to the Virginia Lottery’s customer service center in Woodbridge with his “20X the Money” scratch-off, having no idea the winning ticket was worth far more. Staffers at the center soon pointed out that Velasquez had handed them a $1 million top-prize ticket.

Jose Velasquez, seen here, was unaware he won the top prize on a scratch-off game from the Virginia Lottery. *(Courtesy of Virginia Lottery)*

Velasquez bought the ticket after work at a Safeway in Fairfax County. But with the windfall, he said he’s now considering starting his own company.

The Virginia Lottery presented Velasquez with the choice of either taking the full $1 million prize over 30 years or a one-time cash option of $759,878 before taxes. He chose the latter.

Velasquez is the second person to snap up a million-dollar “20X the Money” ticket since the game’s debut, meaning there’s one unclaimed top prize remaining. The chances of winning the top prize in this particular scratch-off is 1 in 1,754,400, according to the Virginia Lottery.