Throughout the month, the Virginia Lottery received a steady flow of good news. Now, we have the pleasure of announcing the identities of all five lucky winners of the New Year’s Millionaire Raffle.
On January 18, the name of the fifth and last winner was revealed by lottery officials.
Tickets went on sale on November 1st, and the last of the 625,000 tickets was purchased by a customer at 9:23 a.m. on Thursday, December 29th.
Keep this in mind when you play
When the marketing team at the Virginia Lottery spoke with the Millionaire Raffle winners, they were able to gather a few valuable lessons shared by them.
- Jennifer Wanamaker purchased Millionaire Raffle tickets to surprise her family with stocking stuffers, and fortunately, her daughter Caitlin ended up with a winning ticket. It’s worth mentioning that Caitlin is of college age, as it is crucial to adhere to Virginia Lottery guidelines, which state that lottery gifts should only be given to adults. Both the lottery itself, PlayVirginia, and various nationwide campaigns emphasize the significance of responsible gifting.
- Solomon Sebehat engages in the lottery solely for entertainment purposes and does not rely on winning to fulfill his financial requirements. “I play just for fun,” he affirmed. This mindset is commendable as it is crucial to avoid jeopardizing more than what one can afford to lose while participating in activities such as gambling at casinos, sportsbooks, or purchasing lottery tickets. Although Problem Gambling Awareness Month is observed in March, its teachings hold significance throughout the year. If you require assistance, kindly make use of the lottery’s available support resources.
- Even if he didn’t immediately check the raffle numbers, Daniel Zarow made sure to keep track of his ticket. In Virginia, lottery winners are given a 180-day window to claim their prize, even when it comes to scratch games. Unfortunately, prizes often go unclaimed more frequently than one would expect. Since 1988, the Virginia Lottery has transferred over $320 million in unclaimed winnings to a fund dedicated to school construction, technology upgrades, and renovations.
Millionaire raffle winners #116426 — The Wanamaker family
When Jennifer Wanamaker purchased Virginia Lottery tickets as stocking stuffers for her family, little did she know that the spirit of giving would bring immense joy in the new year. The ticket nestled in her daughter Caitlin’s stocking turned out to be one of the fortunate few, winning a staggering $1 million top prize.
Caitlin exclaimed to Virginia Lottery officials, “This is absolutely surreal! It’s an amazing way to kick off the new year!”
The win was shared by Caitlin, her twin sister Alison, and their parents Jennifer and Patrick.
Patrick stated that if one person is victorious, then all of us are victorious.
The winning ticket #116426 was purchased by Mom at the Midlothian Stone Village Way Wegman’s supermarket.
Caitlin and Alison are currently enrolled in a nursing program at college.
In Fiscal Year 2022, Chesterfield County, where the Wanamakers reside, was granted an allocation of nearly $35 million for K-12 education.
Winner #201325 — Tim Allen
Purchase a sandwich and have the chance to acquire one million dollars.
Tim Allen, who made a pit stop at the Mills Grill & Grocery on Mount Cross Road in the rural outskirts of Danville, had an interesting experience. Alongside his order for a delicious barbeque sandwich, he decided to purchase two tickets for Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle.
“I was in disbelief!” he exclaimed to the Virginia Lottery officials. “It was my inaugural purchase of a raffle ticket.”
Allen’s personal budget, on the other hand, does not directly benefit from the funds allocated to Pittsylvania County or the Virginia Lottery’s contributions to education.
“Collecting my prize brings such an amazing feeling!” he exclaimed. “It’s an absolute rush of pure excitement!”
Millionaire raffle winners #443201 — Michael and Mechelle Anderson
Mechelle and Michael Anderson used to be colleagues as Richmond City firefighters. However, their paths have diverged since then. Mechelle has retired from the force, while Michael continues to serve as an active firefighter.
If they desire, that could change at this moment. One of the $1 million winning tickets in Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle was purchased by Mr. Anderson.
He informed the lottery that he had to examine it approximately 500 times.
Ticket #443201 was purchased by him at the CVS on Staples Mill Road in Henrico.
Last fiscal year, Henrico County, where the Andersons reside, was granted over $33.6 million in Lottery funds dedicated to K-12 education.
Winner #491685 — Solomon Sebehat
Solomon Sebehat advocates for an approach that he believes should be adopted by everyone while placing bets or playing games of chance in Virginia.
He informed the lottery that he only plays for enjoyment and has a nonchalant attitude about winning.
Sebehat, a resident of Springfield, purchased his raffle tickets from the Safeway supermarket located on Old Keene Mill Road in Burke. On New Year’s Day, when ticket #491685 was announced as the grand prize winner, Sebehat expressed his shock, stating, “I am truly amazed. I have never considered myself a fortunate individual, and winning such a substantial amount is beyond my belief.”
He informed the lottery officials of his intentions to utilize his winnings for the purpose of settling his mortgage, securing his retirement, and ensuring the well-being of his family.
In the state’s most recent budget year, Fairfax County, where Sebehat resides, was allocated a significant sum of nearly $48.7 million in Lottery funds specifically designated for K-12 education.
Millionaire raffle winner #608075 — Daniel Zarow
A few days after the raffle drawing took place on New Year’s Day, Daniel Zarow finally decided to check his ticket as held by the Virginia Lottery.
“He conveyed to Virginia Lottery officials that since we typically don’t emerge victorious, I saw no point in verifying,” he explained.
Zarow, who purchased ticket #608075 at the Safeway supermarket on Merchant Plaza in Woodbridge, discovered that good things indeed come to those who are patient.
He exclaimed, “I couldn’t believe it! I had to ask my wife to verify. She was utterly astonished!”
The engineer specializing in electrical systems residing in Occoquan mentioned that a portion of his winnings would be allocated towards funding his children’s college education.
In addition to benefiting all Virginia children in the classroom, lottery plays also support the educational needs of students in Prince William County. The recent winning ticket purchased by Zarow contributed over $62.2 million to K-12 education in the county through Lottery funds.
The winners cannot be accurately referred to as “millionaires” by their neighbors due to taxes reducing their earnings.
Starting off 2025 with a raffle windfall is indeed an excellent way to begin the year.
Compared to the state’s other draw games, the odds of winning the Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle, at 1-in-125,000, offer players a slightly higher chance. However, they may still need to wait an additional 10 months for their next opportunity to participate in a major raffle.
- The odds of matching five white balls but missing on the Powerball in Powerball are 1 in 11,688,054.
- The odds of matching five white balls but not the Mega Ball in Mega Millions are 1 in 12,607,306.
- The odds of winning the $2 wager prize in Bank a Million, by matching all six balls, are 1 in 3,838,380.
This opportunity to win a million dollars may be the most favorable chance for players in Virginia.
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