Karen Chudy of Palmer turned a $10 Massachusetts State Lottery scratch ticket into a seven-figure payday this week, claiming a $1 million prize on the "$4,000,000 Gold 50X" instant game. She purchased the winning ticket at a Shell in Bondsville and chose the lump-sum cash option, which came to $650,000 before taxes. Chudy told lottery officials she plans to put the unexpected windfall toward home renovations.
Lottery officials confirmed the win and payout details to Boston 25 News, which reported that the Shell retailer that sold the ticket will receive a $10,000 bonus under Lottery rules. The state described Chudy's score as the seventh and final $1 million prize in the Gold 50X game and noted that she received a one-time payment of $650,000 before taxes.
Million-Dollar Winners Often Take the Cash Option
Winners of $1 million instant-ticket prizes in Massachusetts frequently opt for the immediate cash payout instead of annual installments, which typically trims the $1 million headline total to about $650,000 before taxes. As seen when a Lynn resident hits $1 million, many players choose the lump-sum route so they can access their winnings right away.
Where the Prize Fits in the Game
The "$4,000,000 Gold 50X" instant game has produced several large prizes, and retailers that sell top-winning tickets collect commission bonuses, a pattern noted in industry coverage. Claiming major instant prizes typically requires verification and paperwork at Lottery headquarters before any money is released, as earlier winner announcements and procedures detailed by Lottery Post have shown.
Chudy's top-prize claim closes out the $1 million winners in the Gold 50X game, leaving only lower-tier prizes available for players still scratching. She says she plans to channel her winnings into fixing up her home, and the Shell in Bondsville is set to collect a $10,000 bonus for selling the lucky ticket, according to Boston 25 News.
