“Did I dream it?” Albemarle County woman wins $538,876 playing Bucks Triple Play

It was midnight, and an anonymous Albemarle County woman was playing the Virginia Lottery’s Bucks Triple Play online game. She thought to herself, “I’ve got to get to sleep!” Luckily, she didn’t go to sleep right then because she soon won a jackpot worth $538,876. 

The winner chose to remain anonymous. Virginia law permits any winner of a Virginia Lottery prize to claim it anonymously, in which case the Lottery does not publicly disclose the winner’s identity. 

“I was kind of in shock,” the winner later told Virginia Lottery officials. When she woke up the next morning, she questioned whether the win was real. “Did I dream it?" she said.

The winner plans to save and invest her winnings and use some to take care of her family.

Bucks Triple Play is one of dozens of online instant games available at the Virginia Lottery’s website, valottery.com, and on the Virginia Lottery mobile app. It features three different games, each with varying odds.

In addition to online instant games, players can purchase Powerball, Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Cash 5 with EZ Match plays online. Players must be at least 18 years of age and physically located in Virginia. 

All Virginia Lottery profits go to K-12 education in Virginia. The winner lives in Albemarle County, which received more than $4.5 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year. In Fiscal Year 2026, the Lottery raised more than $914 million for K-12 education, making up approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget. 

For a complete list of Lottery funds distributed to Virginia school districts, visit the Virginia Lottery’s Giving Back page. For general information or to play games online, visit the Virginia Lottery’s website or download the Lottery’s app. Connect with the Lottery on Facebook, X, Instagram, or YouTube. 

With all gaming, please play responsibly. If you think you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help may be just a phone call away: The Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline, 888-532-3500. Call, text or chat 24/7.