A $30 Ohio Lottery scratch-off bought at a Clyde fraternal club has turned into the Monopoly 200X game's $5 million top prize, instantly making one local trust very happy. The ticket's advertised award is $200,000 a year for 25 years, but the claim was filed through a trust that chose the lump-sum cash option instead, a move that leaves the claimant with roughly $1.83 million after state and federal withholding, according to WJW.
The Ohio Lottery confirmed the winning ticket was sold at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #2291 on South Main Street in Clyde, and that the claimant filed as a trust and selected the lump-sum payout, as reported by WLWT. The outlet noted the game's overall odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 3.35 and that, as of April 21, two of the game's top prizes remained unclaimed.
WJW, via AOL, reported that the lump-sum cash option for the $200,000-per-year-for-25-years top prize was about $2.5 million before taxes. After typical state and federal withholdings, the payout lands in the low-$1.8 million range. The station added that once prize validation and processing are complete, the Lottery will cut the post-tax check to the trust.
Retailer spotlight
The winning ticket came from a local Eagles club that doubles as a neighborhood hangout, suddenly pushing the organization into the statewide spotlight. The Ohio Lottery's retailer magazine explains how big winners and retailer incentives can spike foot traffic and lists recent major payouts along with the cashing thresholds that apply to different types of stores. For small, local sellers, seeing their name tied to a headline like this can be a modest but welcome jolt of free publicity, according to the Ohio Lottery's Ticket Seller.
How prize payments work
Ohio rules allow certain large prizes to be paid either as annuities or as a cash option, and the Lottery discloses the available cash amount and required tax withholdings when a claim is filed, according to the Ohio Administrative Code. Winners have to make their choice within a specific timeframe, and once selected, the option is generally final. Opting for the cash route means trading the advertised long-term total for a smaller present-value payout that lands in a winner's account much sooner, which is the trade-off the Clyde-area trust accepted in this case.
As the Lottery finishes the paperwork, the Monopoly 200X game still shows two top prizes remaining as of April 21, according to WLWT. The Ohio Lottery keeps an up-to-date prize inventory and claiming guidance on its website, and players holding Monopoly 200X tickets can check the official pages or contact a regional office to verify prizes and get instructions on how to claim them.
