An Ohio woman has won a staggering $1,852,212 (Rs 17 crore approx.) lottery jackpot after deciding to hold on to a ticket she never actually intended to purchase, according to People Magazine. The woman was visiting a bar in Springfield when she was accidentally given an EZPLAY Jackpot USA ticket, not the one she had originally asked for. The $20 ticket was essentially a mistake. However, having recently heard stories of other people striking it lucky with so-called "mistake tickets," she decided against swapping it. Fearful of jinxing her chances, she trusted her instincts and kept it.
That decision proved to be a wise one. The ticket turned out to be a jackpot winner, earning her $1,852,212 (Rs 17 crore approx.), a truly life-changing sum, as per the news report.
Yet the road to claiming her prize was not entirely smooth. When she asked staff at the shop to verify the ticket, their equipment failed to confirm the win. Understandably shaken, the woman began to wonder whether the result was genuine. Nevertheless, she kept the ticket safe and travelled to the Ohio Lottery's regional office, where officials happily confirmed that she had indeed won.
Choosing to receive her winnings as a lump sum, she walked away with $1,356,745 (Rs 13 crore approx.) after tax deductions.
The woman has since outlined her plans for the money. Her first priority is to clear her mortgage, pay off her car, and settle her medical bills - giving her and her family much-needed financial relief. Once those obligations are met, she intends to consult a financial adviser to help her invest the remaining funds wisely for the future.
