Lottery player runs to get ‘someone else’s eyes’ on ticket — and reveals top prize
A Virginia man looked for a second opinion when he saw his huge lottery win.
Mark Thompson decided to buy a $10 scratch-off at a 7-Eleven gas station in Portsmouth, according to a Feb. 21 Virginia Lottery news release.
When he scratched his ticket, he thought he had a winner, but he wanted someone to confirm if the prize he saw on his ticket was correct, according to lottery officials.
“I knew I’d won, but I just wanted someone else’s eyes on it,” Thompson told lottery officials.
He rushed to the gas station’s owner with his ticket, and the owner affirmed Thompson’s suspicion — his ticket was a top prize winner for the Mega Money Multiplier game.
His big win was worth $500,000, lottery officials said.
Thompson was the last of three top prize winners for the Mega Money Multiplier game, according to lottery officials. The game, which launched in October, will no longer be sold by Virginia lottery retailers because the big prize money has been won.
Portsmouth is across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk.
Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
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