National

‘Maybe I won five or 10 dollars.’ Woman’s guess at VA lottery prize off by thousands

The woman started dancing in her kitchen when she saw the jackpot.
The woman started dancing in her kitchen when she saw the jackpot. Virginia Lottery

A Virginia woman’s unexpected lottery win had her dancing around her kitchen once she realized how much she had won.

When Linda Ryan saw a notification online saying she won a prize in the lottery, she didn’t think much of it, she told lottery officials.

“Maybe I won five or 10 dollars,” the Seaford woman told lottery officials.

Little did she know, she was hundreds of thousands of dollars short in her guess. Ryan had snagged a $316,604 jackpot in the Cash 5 with EZ Match game, lottery officials said. Once she realized she hit the jackpot, Ryan started to celebrate.

“I was dancing around the kitchen!” she told lottery officials.

Ryan matched all five numbers in the Aug. 30 drawing. The odds of matching all five numbers are 1 in 749,398, according to the Virginia lottery.

Ryan told lottery officials she didn’t have immediate plans for the winnings other than to pay bills.

Seaford is about 35 miles north of Norfolk.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published September 23, 2022 at 7:10 AM with the headline "‘Maybe I won five or 10 dollars.’ Woman’s guess at VA lottery prize off by thousands."

Alison Cutler
mcclatchy-newsroom
Alison Cutler is a National Real Time Reporter for the Southeast at McClatchy. She graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and previously worked for The News Leader in Staunton, VA, a branch of USAToday.
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