A man in Ohio bought a scratch off ticket on the clerk’s advice and won $1 million
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A Grafton man has won $1 million on an Ohio Lottery scratch-off. According to the Ohio Lottery, he bought three tickets at Butternut Food Mart at 34885 Lorain Road in North Ridgeville. The first two tickets didn't win but the third one hit the jackpot.
The third scratch off ticket he bought was $1,000,000 Stacked, a $20 game he told the lottery he doesn't normally play. The store owner pointed out that it was ticket #13, and 13 is his lucky number, so he decided to buy it. He nearly missed the prize, finding it on the bottom row, second from the end, and described himself as "literally in shock."
He told the lottery that the best part was telling his wife. He called his wife to say he had something to show her but would not say what over the phone. When he handed her the ticket at home she asked whether it was his and he told her it was theirs.
He took the annuity instead of the cash option
He chose to take the prize as an annuity or $40,000 a year for 25 years. The Ohio Lottery says that after 26.75% in federal and state tax withholdings he will receive $732,500 over the life of the annuity, or around $29,300 a year. The cash option would've been a one time payment of $609,336 before taxes.
Three top prizes are still unclaimed
$1,000,000 Stacked went on sale on May 12, 2026 at $20. The Ohio Lottery puts overall odds at 1 in 3.48 and reported three top prizes remaining as of August 28. Our data has the print run at 58.3% sold, leaving 41.7% unsold.
Ohio runs 65 active scratch-offs in our database, and the ones we score average 70.6% payout. The payout is $0.75 per every dollar spent and the ValueScore™ for this game is 68. Among the Ohio $20 games we score, Spectacular Riches leads at 88.1 with a 74.7% payout. Current Ohio ValueScore™ rankings update daily.
Thirteen is usually considered an unlucky number
Thirteen is usually considered an unlucky number but the man took the clerk's advice anyways and with that, won the top prize at one in 333,000 odds
Sources
Ohio Lottery: Lucky #13 Scores Lorain County Man a $1 Million Win
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Ohio $1 million scratch-off winner actually receive?
According to the Ohio Lottery, $732,500 after 26.75% in combined federal and state withholding, paid as an annuity. That works out to $29,300 a year for 25 years, from a $40,000 annual gross payment.
Are there $1,000,000 Stacked top prizes left?
Yes. The Ohio Lottery reported three top prizes remaining as of August 28, 2026. The $20 game went on sale May 12, 2026, and our data has the print run 58.3% sold, leaving 41.7% unsold. Overall odds are 1 in 3.48.
Why is lottery withholding different from the final tax bill?
Withholding is a flat rate, not a calculation of what you owe. Federal withholding on prizes above $5,000 is 24% regardless of your bracket, and Ohio adds its flat 2.75% state rate. A winner taking $40,000 a year sits in a lower bracket than 24%, so the excess comes back as a refund. A winner taking a $1 million lump sum in one year reaches the 37% bracket and owes more in April.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
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