A Bothell man who stopped at a Lynnwood gas station for lottery tickets in late March walked away with far more than he expected—he won a $2 million jackpot, according to Washington’s Lottery.
The winner, identified only as S.M.W., visited the 76 gas station on Alderwood Mall Parkway intending to buy a specific Scratch ticket. When he saw that it was sold out, he opted for a different one that caught his attention—the $2,000,000 Jackpot game.
That spontaneous decision turned into a life-changing moment.
“Later that day, I tried checking my tickets but couldn’t see if I had won on this particular ticket, so I called the Lottery office,” S.M.W. said in a statement shared by Washington’s Lottery. “As they were verifying, I jokingly said ‘Hopefully it’s one of those $2 million ones!’ They said it was – and I just started screaming. My fiancée came downstairs because she thought something was wrong.”
The timing of the win added a layer of confusion. When he shared the news with family just days later, many didn’t believe him, assuming it was an April Fools’ prank. It took some convincing before they realized the win was real.
The jackpot prize quickly made an impact on the couple’s future. A few days after claiming the money, S.M.W. and his fiancée toured a home they loved, made an offer, and had it accepted.
“None of this would be possible without Washington’s Lottery,” he said. “The timing just aligned perfectly.”
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