National

Lottery player almost talked himself out of buying ticket in VA. He’s glad he didn’t

Zach Barton said he “feels awesome” after his huge win.
Zach Barton said he “feels awesome” after his huge win. Virginia Lottery

Zachary Barton was recently grabbing some groceries at Kroger in Vinton, Virginia.

As he shopped, he considered buying a lottery ticket. But then he remembered the frozen groceries in his cart, he told Virginia Lottery officials in an April 6 news release.

“I almost talked myself out of it,” Barton said.

Eventually, the construction worker convinced himself to stop and play Print ‘n Play Rolling Jackpot game, according to officials.

Barton’s ticket scored him a big prize worth $191,493.

“I jumped up and down and yelled,” Barton told officials. “It feels awesome!”

Vinton is about 160 miles west of Richmond.

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.

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This story was originally published April 6, 2023 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Lottery player almost talked himself out of buying ticket in VA. He’s glad he didn’t."

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.
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