Press Release
All Sherod Hawkins wanted was some cigars. That’s why the Palmyra man happened to be at the Fas Mart at 101 Crofton Place in Palmyra on a Friday evening (Aug. 26).
“I was in the store, and I looked up and saw that ticket,” he told Virginia Lottery officials. “I said, ‘Okay, let’s go ahead and get it.’”
He took the Payday Bonus ticket to his car and scratched it. That’s when he discovered he’d just won the game’s $500,000 top prize.
“I thought, ‘Wait a minute! This can’t be right!’” he said.
Payday Bonus is one of dozens of scratchers available from the Virginia Lottery. It features prizes ranging from $20 to $500,000. This is the first top prize claimed in this game, which means two top prizes remain unclaimed.
The chances of winning the top prize are 1 in 1,672,800. The chances of winning any prize in this game are 1 in 6.97.
Mr. Hawkins, who works in information technology, said he intends to use his winnings to take care of his family and help his father retire.
Authorized by Virginia voters in a successful 1987 referendum, the Virginia Lottery generates more than $2.1 million per day for Virginia’s K-12 public schools. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, lottery customers helped generate more than $779 million in funding for public education. For more information, visit the Virginia Lottery’s Giving Back page, visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and check us out on YouTube. With all gaming, please remember to play responsibly.
