Virginia’s $348 Million Lottery Winner Remains Anonymous

NORFOLK, Va. — The largest lottery jackpot in Virginia‘s history has been claimed, with the winner opting to remain anonymous. The prize, a staggering $348 million from the Mega Millions drawing on June 27, was picked up about four weeks later at the Virginia Lottery headquarters in Richmond.

The winning ticket was sold at E & C Mid Atlantic on Northumberland Highway in Burgess, where it matched all six winning numbers. For selling the ticket, the store received a $50,000 bonus, which was awarded to Vice President of Operations Juan Torres on July 22.

The winner chose the one-time cash option of $155.6 million before taxes, as allowed under Virginia law, which permits anonymity for prizes exceeding $1 million. “Any winner of this size will be completely anonymous. You have the right to remain anonymous,” said Khalid R. Jones, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery.

In a surprising twist, the unidentified winner reported plans to spend part of their winnings on a new zero-radius riding lawn mower, which typically costs around $3,000. This marks the 10th Mega Millions jackpot won in Virginia since the game started in 2002.

Jones emphasized the importance of playing responsibly, urging residents to buy tickets from licensed retailers or through the official website to avoid scams. “You’ll know it, there’ll either be a Virginia Lottery logo sold here, or they’ll have our neon sign in the window,” he explained.

Lottery profits in Virginia support K-12 public education. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Virginia Lottery contributed more than $901 million to state schools, which is about 10 percent of the education budget. Jones noted that large jackpots generate excitement, but they also carry the need for responsible gaming. “Please play responsibly. Do it within a range, do it within your budget, set it, stick to it,” he said.

The Mega Millions jackpot has not been won since the June drawing and currently stands at $277 million.