$1M Raffle Ticket Sold In Alexandria Claimed by Anonymous Arlington Woman

ARLINGTON, VA — An Arlington woman has claimed the fifth and final $1 million prize in Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle, according to the Virginia Lottery. The winning ticket was bought at the 7-Eleven at 2108 Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria and was given to her as a Christmas gift from her best friend.

According to the Virginia Lottery, the woman did not realize the ticket was a winner until months later. Her friend saw a sign at the store and suggested that she check the ticket. The woman then remembered she had stored it in a lock box and forgotten about it.

When the woman scanned the ticket, she learned it was worth $1 million, according to the Virginia Lottery. Virginia law allows winners of prizes worth $1 million or more to claim them anonymously, so the Lottery did not release her identity.

The woman told Virginia Lottery officials she plans to use the money to pay bills and travel with the friend who bought the ticket. “Now I owe her a winning ticket in next year’s Raffle,” she told Virginia Lottery officials.

The ticket number was 556789. It was one of five $1 million winning tickets announced on New Year’s Day. The other four top-prize tickets were bought in Bealeton, Burke, Madison and Hopewell.

RELATED: $1M Raffle Ticket Purchased At Burke Grocery Store

The Virginia Lottery also reported that seven tickets won $100,000 each. Those tickets were bought in Hampton, Leesburg, Manassas, Montvale, Richmond, Stafford and Winchester. Another 1,000 tickets won $500 each.

There was also a bonus for the store that sold the winning ticket. Retailers that sell a $1 million winning ticket receive a $10,000 bonus from the Virginia Lottery.

Lottery proceeds in Virginia go to K-12 education, according to the Virginia Lottery. The Lottery said Alexandria City received more than $4.5 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Lottery raised more than $901 million for K-12 education statewide, making up about 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget.

The Virginia Lottery directs residents seeking a full list of school distributions to its Giving Back page. It also said people who need help for a gambling problem can contact the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline at 888-532-3500 by call, text or chat 24/7.