National

Lottery player ‘mind-blown’ after winning Virginia lottery jackpot. ‘Is this real?’

Kristeen Maddox said The Lamp was one of her favorite games even before her jackpot win.
Kristeen Maddox said The Lamp was one of her favorite games even before her jackpot win. Virginia Lottery

Kristeen Maddox has had good luck playing The Lamp — an online Virginia Lottery game — in the past.

Recently, while sitting in her car in a parking lot, Maddox decided to play the game, which she said is one of her favorites, according to a March 17 Virginia Lottery news release.

When the Alexandria resident saw her prize, she didn’t believe it, according to officials.

“There’s no way,” Maddox told lottery officials she said when she saw the prize. “Is this real?”

Maddox won a $293,508 jackpot, officials said.

“I am mind-blown,” she told officials. She said she might use her prize to buy a Jeep.

Alexandria is less than 10 miles south of Washington, D.C.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Read Next
Read Next
Read Next

This story was originally published March 20, 2023 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Lottery player ‘mind-blown’ after winning Virginia lottery jackpot. ‘Is this real?’."

Moira Ritter
mcclatchy-newsroom
Moira Ritter covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Georgetown University where she studied government, journalism and German. Previously, she reported for CNN Business.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER