A Virginia woman, Latoya Burke, from Chesapeake, had an exceptionally fortunate day when she won $180,000 in the Virginia Lottery by playing the same five numbers on six tickets for the Pick 5 game. The winning numbers for the June 5 drawing were 5-5-5-5-0, and Burke matched all five in their exact order, resulting in a $30,000 prize for each ticket.
Jennifer Mullen, a spokesperson for the Virginia Lottery, expressed excitement about unique wins like Burke's and mentioned that Pick 5 is drawn twice a day with a top prize of $50,000. Burke, however, did not share her plans for the winnings with the Virginia Lottery.
The Virginia Lottery was established in 1987, with proceeds supporting K-12 public education in the state. In 2023, over $867 million from the Virginia Lottery was allocated to public education, contributing about 10% to the commonwealth's budget for K-12 schools. Schools in Chesapeake, where Burke resides, received over $27.2 million from the Virginia Lottery in 2023.
Overall, the Virginia Lottery's impact on public education in the state has been significant, with funds supporting various educational programs and initiatives. Burke's unexpected and fortunate win serves as a reminder of the potential luck involved in playing the lottery and the positive outcomes that can result from these games of chance.