$1M Winning Lottery Ticket Sold At Varina Convenience Store

PETERSBURG, VA — When Melvin Childress stopped at Fas Mart in Varina for a drink, he had no idea it would be a decision worth one million dollars.

In addition to a beverage, Childress also purchased a Power 10s scratch ticket from the Virginia Lottery. When he got home and scratched the ticket, he realized he won the game's $1 million top prize.

"I couldn’t believe it," Childress told Virginia Lottery officials. "It’s something I never thought would happen, and it did!"

Childress chose to take a one-time cash option of $640,205 after taxes rather than receive the prize in annual payments over 30 years. The store that sold him the ticket also received a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Power 10s is one of dozens of scratchers available from the Virginia Lottery. It features prizes ranging from $10 up to $1,000,000. This is the second top prize claimed in Power 10s, which means only one $1 million winning ticket remains unclaimed.