Lightning strikes twice for lucky Virginia player

Drawing Date: 9/23/2014

September 25, 2014 - When Judy Marsh looked at her Mega Millions ticket and realized she’d matched the first five numbers, it was a case of déjà vu.

“I told my boyfriend, ‘I won!’” the Abingdon, Va., woman said. “He didn’t believe me – again.”

He didn’t believe her the first time either. In 2008 she won $250,000 playing Mega Millions.

Ms. Marsh won $1 million in the September 23, 2014, Mega Millions drawing. She bought the winning ticket at Kroger, 466 South Cummings Street in Abingdon. On September 25 she returned to the store to receive her check from the Virginia Lottery. The store received a $10,000 bonus from the Lottery for selling the winning ticket.

The winning numbers were 21-24-25-40-43 and the Mega Ball number was 12. The only number Ms. Marsh failed to match was the Mega Ball number. Had she matched all six numbers, she would have won a jackpot estimated at $83 million.

She selected the numbers on her ticket using her mother’s birthday, year of birth and the year she passed away. In fact, September 24, the day after the drawing, would have been her mother’s birthday.

“She’s watching out for me,” Ms. Marsh said.