Sometimes the best gift in life is a second chance
Olympia, Wash. (September 19, 2022) – Sometimes the best gift in life is a second chance.
Just ask M.G. from Seattle. He had his favorite lottery game, which he would play a few times a week. Eventually he told himself he needed to try playing a different game – one that would give him a chance at winning a larger jackpot.
In August, he decided to try playing HIT 5, a draw game from Washington’s Lottery. That day, he ended up purchasing $10 worth of HIT 5 tickets (10 tickets total), and when he checked his tickets the next day, he saw he didn’t win anything. Determined to try one last time, the next day he bought $5 worth of HIT 5 tickets (5 tickets total) …and ended up winning the $595,000 cashpot.
Shocked, M.G. was convinced he was dreaming. Before coming in to claim the prize at the Lottery’s Everett regional office, he continued to tell himself, “Pinch yourself and wake up already.” M.G. plans to invest his winnings for the future.
HIT 5 is a Washington state lottery game that replaced Quinto in 2007. Each play is $1. Players pick five numbers between 1 and 42. Alternatively, players may use Quick Pick by letting the computer select their numbers. With four winning ball combinations, the more numbers that match those drawn, the more a player will win.
Making a Difference in Washington State
Since 1982, Washington’s Lottery has generated more than $4.5 billion to support several important state programs, including providing much-needed funds for the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account (WOPA). In FY21, WOPA received $185.7 million from the Lottery, enough to pay college tuition for more than 18,000 Washington residents. It also provided approximately 25% of the annual budget for the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, which provides critical services to more than 15,000 children at 440 locations across Washington.
Washington’s Lottery Beneficiary Fact – April 2022
Washington’s Lottery is very proud to be a financial supporter of the state’s Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP). The $40 million annual investment the lottery makes in ECEAP has lasting effects. Children who participate in ECEAP are more likely to be kindergarten-ready than non-participants, and those who participate five or more hours per day are especially prepared in reading and math.* Children in state-funded pre-K programs like ECEAP see long-lasting positive effects, including increased grade progression, high school graduation and college enrollment.**
About Washington’s Lottery: The state’s Lottery offers consumers several types of games, including Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Pick 3, Daily Keno and Scratch. For more information, visit www.walottery.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @walottery.
Keep it fun. Know your limit. Washington’s Lottery is an advocate for responsible gaming and collaborates with the Evergreen Council for Problem Gambling to provide resources for those in need. More information is available at www.walottery.com/Responsibility.
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Press Contacts
Dan Miller (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: dan.miller@curatorpr.com
Xiamara Garza (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: xiamara.garza@curatorpr.com
* Early Learning Feedback Report. https://erdc.wa.gov/data-dashboards/early-learning-feedback-report-0
** Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood. (n.d.). Boston universal pre-K. Retrieved June 9, 2021, from https://www.bpsearlylearning.org/boston-upk