A recent lottery win in Ohio is proving that sometimes, the luckiest moment can arrive exactly when it is needed most. An anonymous man from Carrollton, Ohio, has claimed a top prize of $500,000 from an Ohio Lottery scratch-off ticket, a windfall that comes with an incredible backstory involving his wife’s ongoing medical care.
The fortunate winner, who has chosen to remain private, stopped to purchase a few tickets after returning home from taking his wife to a series of cancer treatment appointments. It was a moment of mundane routine that turned extraordinary when he picked up what he described as the very last ticket of the “Best of 7’s” scratch-off game in the display bin. That $5 purchase instantly delivered the game’s top prize of half a million dollars.
When he first shared the news with his wife, she was completely skeptical. The Ohio Lottery reports that she initially thought her husband had fallen or was injured, until he revealed the true reason for his shock: he had won. His wife’s skepticism finally faded after they checked the ticket on the official Ohio Lottery app and confirmed the massive payout.
The win is a life-changing event for the Carrollton family, especially as they have been managing rising medical bills and expenses associated with his wife’s battle with cancer. The husband called the dramatic victory a “dream,” saying the earnings are a blessing that will now help pay off some of those significant costs.
For those curious about the numbers, the prize money is not quite a full $500,000 in hand. After mandatory state and federal tax withholdings, which total approximately 28 percent, the winner will take home about $360,000.
The winner also shared a little bit of his lottery strategy, one that many loyal players adhere to. “I like the end of the roll,” he explained to lottery officials. “I’ll buy in the middle too, but always liked the end of the roll best.” In this case, that strategy certainly paid off with the final ticket.
A Statewide Win for Education
While the new half-millionaire is making personal plans, the purchase of every Ohio Lottery ticket contributes to a larger cause across the state. One hundred percent of the profits generated by the Ohio Lottery are earmarked for the Lottery Profits Education Fund.
This massive pool of money is used to support K-12, vocational, and special education programs throughout Ohio. Over the past five decades, the Ohio Lottery has contributed more than $33 billion to the state’s education system. For the Fiscal Year 2025 alone, the lottery transferred a significant $1.447 billion to the education fund. So, while the Carrollton family celebrates their life-altering good fortune, their modest ticket purchase has played a small part in a much larger financial benefit for students and schools across Ohio.