21 August 2023 , 10:57
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A United States Navy sailor has won the largest online lottery ever recorded - securing a jaw-dropping $1.8 million (£1.4m) windfall.
Byron Bundoc, from Virginia, achieved this remarkable feat through the online instant game Jackpot Spectacular, after he brought the ticket on a whim on August 10.
As the virtual reels spun, Bryan's screen lit up with an astounding notification – he had won an instant prize amounting to an eye-popping $1,817,588 (£1.4m).
Bryon, who called the win "surreal", wasted no time in sharing the good news with his closest family members. "I called my brother and said, 'You're not going to believe this'," he recalled.
Jackpot Spectacular is exclusively available in Virginia and Pennsylvania. The online version of Jackpot Spectacular had only been introduced in Virginia the previous month.
Woman was 'adamant' she would win top lottery prize - then pockets $200,000
Byron Bundoc won big playing the online instant game "Jackpot Spectacular", offered in Virginia and Pennsylvania (Virginia Lottery)The sailor had been closely following the escalating jackpot amounts on the game before making the decision to participate. He said he is still uncertain about how he plans to utilise his newfound wealth.
Lottery officials have disclosed that the odds of securing a prize in the game stand at 1 in 3.99, though these odds can vary based on the price point of the ticket. Among a sea of hopeful players, Bron stands alone as the individual who defied the odds and reaped the monumental reward of $1,817,588.
It comes as another lottery winner, a mum-of-two was left trying to convince her husband she had won a lottery jackpot after he "thought she was faking".
Ashley Smith, from Mason County, Kentucky, decided to play an online lottery game one night after putting the kids to bed. She explained: "I was just waiting for the kids to go to sleep and decided to play."
She was sat playing when all of a sudden the Bank Buster online jackpot popped up on her screen. She had won a whopping $224,000 (£176,000).
Ashley jumped out of bed and screamed with excitement after seeing the jackpot pop up. Her husband took some convincing, though. He said: "I thought she was faking. I called my mum, and she couldn't believe it either."
The next morning, the family piled into their car and drove to Kentucky Lottery headquarters. They decided to choose the lump sum option to collect their winnings. This means they took home a cheque for $160,409 (£126,200) after taxes. Taking the lump sum payment means the family took home just over half of their jackpot.
The money couldn't have come at a better time for the family either, as Ashley had just totalled her car. Her husband had also had car trouble on the morning they picked up their winnings. "I hit a deer this morning," explained Ashley's husband. "I had to go home and switch trucks to get to work."