$1 Million Lottery Winner in Alexandria Finally Comes Forward

It was becoming something of a mystery. Someone in Alexandria had bought a lottery ticket worth $1 million. But they never stepped forward to claim it. Until now.

Virginia's New Year's Millionaire Raffle saw three ticket-holders win $1 million each. While two others outside the area claimed their checks, the Alexandria ticketholder waited until today to come forward.

Kofi Nyanor of Alexandria told lottery officials he knew on New Year's Day that he had a winning ticket. He kept that ticket tucked away in a safe spot for the next four months.

“I went about my business,” he said. “I didn’t tell anyone.”

Today he claimed the third and final top prize in the Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. He received his check from Virginia Lottery Executive Director Paula Otto.

The check was presented to Nyanor at Super Saver Dollar Saver, 366 S. Pickett St., in Alexandria, where he purchased the ticket. The store received a $10,000 bonus for selling the top-prize-winning ticket.

Nyanor’s ticket, #315992, was one of three $1 million winners in Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. The drawing was held on Jan. 1st, 2011. The other two top prize tickets were bought in Daleville and Sterling.

Nyanor described himself to lottery officials as a "once-in-a-while lottery player," and said he plans to invest his winnings and give to charity.

By law, Virginia Lottery tickets expire 180 days after drawings and the unclaimed prize money goes to the state Literary Fund. Nyanor's ticket would have expired on June 29th if Nyanor had not redeemed it.

The Virginia Lottery generates approximately $1.2 million per day for Virginia’s K-12 public schools. Operating entirely on revenue from the sale of lottery products, rather than tax dollars, the Virginia Lottery raised more than $430.2 million for Virginia’s public schools in fiscal year 2010. That represents about 8 percent of state funding for public education in Virginia.