Woodbridge, Virginia – Brent Butler of Woodbridge was on the verge of giving up after not having much luck playing online games. However, he decided to give it one more shot and played the Virginia Lottery’s Banker’s Bonus game using the Lottery’s app on his personal device. To his surprise, that final attempt resulted in a jackpot win of $2,204,371.
“I can tell you my wife was more happy than me!” Mr. Butler joked when speaking with Lottery officials.
Banker’s Bonus is just one of the many online instant games available on the Virginia Lottery app and website, valottery.com. The game is part of the Mega Money Jackpots series, which is also played in Kentucky and Pennsylvania and features a progressive jackpot that continues to grow. The odds of winning a prize in each game are 1 in 3.9.
In addition to instant games like Banker’s Bonus, players can also purchase Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Cash 5 with EZ Match plays online. To participate, players must be at least 18 years old and physically located in Virginia.
As for his newfound fortune, Mr. Butler, who works as a home contractor, said he has no immediate plans for his winnings aside from paying bills. “I might not go to work today,” he joked.
All profits from the Virginia Lottery go directly to K-12 education in the state. Last fiscal year, Prince William County, where Mr. Butler resides, received more than $64.6 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education. In Fiscal Year 2024, the Lottery contributed over $934 million to K-12 education, accounting for approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget.
