Birthday gift pays off big for Pennsylvania couple Drawing Date: 4/12/2024 April 25, 2024 - Officials from the Pennsylvania Lottery and BG’s Value Market, a Lottery retailer, today presented a commemorative check to the winner of a $1 million Mega Millions® ticket. The check presentation was held at BG’s Value Market, 19 Old Route 22, Jonestown, Lebanon County, where the winning ticket was sold. The retailer will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The lucky winner, 58-year-old April Zipp of Lebanon County, Pa., said she received the ticket as a birthday gift from her husband ahead of the April 12 drawing and was in disbelief when she discovered she had won. “My husband stopped at BG’s the day before for ice cream and purchased $20 in tickets,” said Zipp. “I got up the next day on my birthday and checked the tickets with the Lottery’s app and it told me a claim form was needed. I didn’t understand it at first.” Zipp said she and her husband returned to BG’s Value Market to verify the ticket. “The clerk scanned the ticket and told me it was a big winner and to sign the back,” said Zipp. “I went outside and cried.” Zipp, who said she’s a school bus driver of more than 40 years, said she told her children about the great news. “They couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I plan to continue working for now, but my husband and I would like to buy an RV and travel and finally live life.” “This is still so unbelievable. You can’t win if you don’t play,” added Zipp. “Congratulations to April for winning this life-changing prize and we wish her a very happy belated birthday,” said Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne. “Thanks to players like April, and retailer partners like BG’s Value Market, the Pennsylvania Lottery continues to fulfill its mission of responsibly generating funds to pay for critical programs and services that older Pennsylvanians rely on every day.” “Congratulations to April for winning this incredible prize!” said BG’s Value Market Owner Dianne Koval. “We are excited that a local community member will get to enjoy this prize, and it goes to show that winning tickets can show up anywhere, and anyone has a chance to win.” To determine if they have won a prize, players can review the ticket, scan it at a Lottery retailer, or use the Ticket Checker feature on the Lottery’s Official App. Winners should immediately sign the back of the ticket, call the Lottery at 1-800-692-7481, and file a claim at the nearest Lottery office.