A quick favor for his girlfriend has turned into a financial plot twist for one Norwalk man, who walked into a store for a routine grocery stop and walked out with a $3 million Ohio Lottery prize. What he first thought was a $120,000 win turned out to be an annuity worth $120,000 a year for 25 years, totaling $3 million. He chose the lump-sum cash option and, after required withholdings, will collect about $1.1 million. Lottery officials say he plans to pay off his house, take a vacation and invest the rest.
How the win unfolded
According to Ohio Lottery officials, the Norwalk resident was running an errand to help his girlfriend when he decided to pick up a few scratch-off tickets. One of them paid out $20, and he rolled those winnings into a $30 Wild Cash Tripler ticket. When he scratched it, he saw "120,000" printed on the ticket and was stumped, since that number did not appear on the listed prize amounts.
Only after scanning the ticket did he learn that the $120,000 figure represented annual payments, adding up to a $3,000,000 win, as reported by WLWT.
About the Wild Cash Tripler
The Wild Cash Tripler is a $30 instant game that offers a $3 million top prize, along with annuity top prizes that pay $120,000 a year for 25 years, according to the Ohio Lottery's retailer newsletter. The game materials list the $3,000,000 top prize and multiple annuity awards on the prize table, per the Ohio Lottery's Ticket Seller newsletter.
Winner's payout and plans
The winner opted for the one-time cash option of $1.5 million and will receive $1,098,750 after mandatory withholdings, according to the Lottery's announcement. He told officials he plans to wipe out his mortgage, enjoy a vacation and invest what is left, WLWT reports.
