LANCASTER, S.C. — A Lancaster man’s simple Friday ritual of buying a few lottery tickets after payday has turned into a life-changing moment. His routine paid off in a big way last month when he won a $2.5 million top prize on a South Carolina Education Lottery scratch-off ticket.
“I’ve got a ritual,” the winner told lottery officials. “On Fridays when I get paid, I buy a couple of tickets. I’m responsible and only play on Fridays.”
The lucky ticket — a $20 Magnificent Jumbo Bucks scratch-off — was purchased at Community Discount Beverage in Lancaster. The store received a $25,000 commission for selling the winning ticket.
After scratching off his ticket, the man said he could hardly believe what he saw.
“I think I looked at it 10 different times,” he said. “I even took a photo with my phone and zoomed in to make sure the numbers matched.”
Though the shock hasn’t quite worn off, the winner said he plans to handle his newfound fortune carefully. “I’m not living like I’m broke,” he laughed. “No seriously, I’m going to go about it the right way.”
According to lottery officials, the odds of winning the $2.5 million top prize in the Magnificent Jumbo Bucks game are 1 in 1,714,285.71. There are still three more top prizes of $2.5 million remaining.
The South Carolina Education Lottery reminds players that every ticket purchased helps support education programs across the state.
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