A routine stop at a convenience store turned into a $500,000 surprise, prompting one Virginia woman to lock away her winning ticket until she could claim the prize.

RICHMOND, Va. — A South Hill woman claimed a $500,000 top prize after purchasing a Virginia Lottery Instant Cash Scratch-Off ticket at a convenience store in Chase City.

The winning ticket was purchased at Country Boy’s Quick Stop, 13643 Highway 47 in Chase City.

The woman claimed the prize anonymously, as permitted under Virginia law.

“I had to look at the ticket three or four times before I believed it!” she told Virginia Lottery officials.

The winner said she kept the ticket in a lockbox over the weekend until she could visit a Virginia Lottery office to claim her prize.

She plans to use the winnings to buy land and build a small home for her family.

Instant Cash is one of the Virginia Lottery’s Scratch-Off games, offering top prizes of $500,000. Lottery officials said this is the first top prize claimed in the game, leaving two $500,000 top prizes still available.

The overall odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 816,000, while the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 5.25.

Key Points

• A South Hill woman won a $500,000 top prize on a Virginia Lottery Instant Cash Scratch-Off.
• She kept the winning ticket in a lockbox until she claimed the prize.
• The ticket was purchased at Country Boy’s Quick Stop in Chase City.