Trucker 'screams for joy' at wheel as he finds out he won £800,000 on drive home

05 February 2024 , 11:17

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Berhane Meharena was driving a truck in Texas when he found out his ticket was one of five $1million winners in Virginias New Years Millionaire Raffle (Image: Newsflash)

A trucker has shared the moment he was left “screaming” in his truck after he discovered he had become a millionaire.

Berhane Meharena was on his way home to Virginia from Texas when he checked to see if he had won the lottery to discover he had won $1million (£800,000).

"I was by myself in the truck. I was screaming!” he later told Virginia Lottery officials.

READ MORE: 'I won nearly $50million on the lottery and made a very bizarre first purchase'

He was driving his vehicle in Texas when he found that he had one of five million-dollar winning tickets for Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. Berhane immediately set off and headed back to Virginia to claim his prize.

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In a statement the Virginia Lottery said on Friday, 2nd February, saying: "Berhane Meharena was driving a truck in Texas when he decided to check the winning numbers in Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. That’s how he found out his ticket was one of five $1million winners."

Lottery officials added: "He then drove all the way from Texas back to Virginia to claim his prize. Once he arrived in Virginia, he got sick and had to wait a bit more to claim his prize. When he started feeling better, he went to the Lottery office in Woodbridge to claim his prize."

He decided to check to see if his numbers had come up while in his truck (AFP via Getty Images)

Berhane said that he does not yet have any plans for his winnings but he said of his good fortune: "This was a lucky year!"

Meanwhile north of the border lottery first-timer Juliette Lamour, from Canada, decided to buy her first-ever lottery ticket after her grandpa suggested it as a good way to celebrate her 18th birthday. But she was floored when she realised she'd won $48million CAD ($36m US) on her first try.

The University student said it could be good karma coming back her way for her childhood generosity, after she emptied her piggy bank as a child to send money to the victims of the Haitian earthquake.

With it being her first time buying a lottery ticket, Juliette asked her dad for advice, who suggested she go for a QuickPick ticket.

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