13 June 2023 , 21:45
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A lucky lotto player was amazed when it turned out the Cash 5 with EZ Match ticket he bought was the winning one - after he let a computer choose random numbers for him.
Virginia-state resident Kevin Clements bought the ticket at a local Wawa in May, collecting his winnings a few days after.
Most people try to win with very specific numbers that they choose when they pay - and Mr Clements is usually one of those people.
He says he often plays, all with carefully selected integers.
This time, he allowed the computer to do its thing.
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Very luckily, the machine blindly selected the digits that would get him the jackpot.
Virginia Lottery officials said in a statement: "Cash 5 with EZ Match features a rolling jackpot, starting at a minimum of $100,000.
"The odds of matching all five numbers to win the jackpot are 1 in 749,398.
"All Virginia Lottery profits go to K-12 education in Virginia.
"Mr Clements lives in Spotsylvania County, which received almost $16.2million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year.
"In Fiscal Year 2022, the Lottery raised more than $779million for K-12 education, making up approximately 10 per cent of Virginia's total K-12 school budget."
The Wawa where jackpot winner Kevin Clements allowed a computer to randomly select the prize-laden digitsAmerica's lottery profits go to the public education system in each state.
The jackpots given to lottery winners are also taxed a hefty amount - which is why many financial experts and lawyers like Kurt Panouses, a lawyer who advises winners of big lotteries, suggest considering the option of taking the lump sum payment instead of annual payments over 30 years.
Mr Panouses believes that the tax system is likely to change over three decades, and rates may increase.
By taking the lump sum, winners can pay the current tax rate (37 per cent) all at once and avoid potential future tax hikes.
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“The 37 per cent you pay now in 2023 ...is really a low-income tax bracket,” Mr Panouses told the Washington Post.
He says it's likely that the tax system will change, and individuals will see tax hikes on their winnings.
"That’s a big reason why a lot of people will take the lump sum all in one year and be done with it. You pay 37 per cent, and you’re done,” he said.
"Financial decisions can be challenging at first.
"They’re thinking about what they can do with this money.nAll their issues go away with this ticket with six numbers on it, and they’re not thinking clearly any longer."