Stafford Man Wins $574,146 Virginia Lottery Jackpot After Using Birthday Money

STAFFORD, VA — A Stafford County man won a $574,146 jackpot playing the Virginia Lottery’s Bison Stampede online instant game after using some birthday money from his father to buy in, according to a Virginia Lottery release.

Kevin Bressler of Stafford said he decided to use some of that birthday money to play the game. “I kept winning!” he told Virginia Lottery officials. Before long, according to the release, he had built the total into a jackpot worth $574,146.

“I was like, ‘Wait a second. Did that just happen?’” Bressler told Virginia Lottery officials. The release said Bressler works in IT and plans to use the winnings to make home upgrades.

Bison Stampede is one of dozens of online instant games available through the Virginia Lottery app and at valottery.com. The jackpot grows as more people play. The odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.59.

The Virginia Lottery also allows eligible players to purchase Powerball, Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Cash 5 with EZ Match plays online. Players must be at least 18 years old and physically located in Virginia, according to the release.

Al of its profits go to K-12 education in Virginia. Stafford County received more than $21 million in lottery funds for K-12 education in the last fiscal year, according to the release. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Virginia Lottery raised more than $901 million for K-12 education, making up about 10 percent of the state’s total K-12 school budget.

Residents are encouraged to visit the Virginia Lottery’s Giving Back page for a complete list of lottery funds distributed to school districts across the state. General information about games and online play is available through the Virginia Lottery website and mobile app.

The Virginia Lottery also included a responsible gaming message in the release. Anyone who thinks they or someone they know may have a gambling problem can contact the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline at 888-532-3500 by call, text or chat, 24 hours a day.