A routine stop at Chestnut Food Mart in Painesville turned into a six-figure surprise for a Lake County man after a simple checkout mix-up on March 14. He had asked the clerk for five $1 EZPLAY Quick Spot tickets and one $5 ticket, but instead walked out with a single $10 Quick Spot play. He slipped the ticket into his pocket, later checked it, and discovered he had matched all 10 numbers. Because a $10 wager pays the full progressive payout, that mistaken ticket was suddenly worth $158,585.
According to WKRC, the winner is a Lake County resident who bought the lucky ticket at Chestnut Food Mart on March 14. The station reports the prize was listed at $158,585 and that, after 26.75% in state and federal taxes, his take-home amount comes to $116,163.51. WKRC also notes he plans to pay bills, invest, and share some of the money with his grandsons.
How Quick Spot payouts work
The EZPLAY Quick Spot progressive game comes in $1, $5, and $10 price points, and the jackpot share depends on how much a player wagers. According to the Ohio Lottery, matching all 10 numbers on a $10 Quick Spot ticket pays the full progressive jackpot. A $5 ticket with all 10 numbers matched pays 50% of the jackpot, while a $1 ticket pays 10%.
Why the checkout mistake mattered
That small slip at the register made a big difference. If the man had received the five $1 tickets and one $5 ticket he originally requested, those plays would have only been eligible for smaller portions of the same progressive pot, per WKRC. Instead, that single $10 ticket captured the entire jackpot. WKRC reports he noticed the winning match while out to dinner and later confirmed with lottery officials that the prize was real.
Claiming and next steps
The Ohio Lottery notes that EZPLAY jackpot details and instructions are printed directly on the ticket and that winners should follow the lottery’s standard cashing procedures. Per the Ohio Lottery, larger prizes may require a visit to a regional office or submitting a mailed claim form, so winners are urged to keep their ticket secure and follow the official steps.
For one Painesville regular, a clerk’s momentary mix-up turned an ordinary errand into a rare stroke of small-town luck. An accidental $10 play became a six-figure win that he now plans to use for bills, investments, and gifts to his grandsons, all thanks to a ticket he had not even meant to buy in the first place.
