The woman wants to spend her win on a family vacation and her children's college education
It wasn't supposed to be hers but fate played its part. A lottery ticket sold to an American woman by accident turned out to be the best mistake ever.
Oksana Zaharov from New Jersey was shopping in Manhattan, New York when she picked up a $1 scratch-off lottery ticket at a supermarket. But because of a mistake by the store clerk, she was accidentally handed out a $10 "Set for Life" lottery ticket.
Wrong ticket in hand, she decided to pay for it anyway.
"When the clerk handed me the wrong ticket I felt bad so I decided to just go ahead and buy it," Ms Zaharov told New York Lottery.
But she didn't scratch it immediately and used the ticket for something else.
"I actually used the ticket as a bookmark for a couple weeks before I decided to scratch it," she said.
When she did finally scratch it, she ended up hitting the jackpot of $5 million.
"I never win anything. I was sure the ticket was fake. It wasn't until I brought it into the office that I knew it was for real," the 46-year-old confessed.
The jackpot winner wants to spend her win on a family vacation to the Bahamas. She also said the money would come in handy to secure a loan-free college education for her children.
She will receive the $5 million in 19 annual payments of $260,000 (net $172,068) and one additional payment of $60,000 (net $39,708). After that, she will continue to receive an annual net payment of $172,068 for life.
Oksana Zaharov from New Jersey was shopping in Manhattan, New York when she picked up a $1 scratch-off lottery ticket at a supermarket. But because of a mistake by the store clerk, she was accidentally handed out a $10 "Set for Life" lottery ticket.
Wrong ticket in hand, she decided to pay for it anyway.
"When the clerk handed me the wrong ticket I felt bad so I decided to just go ahead and buy it," Ms Zaharov told New York Lottery.
But she didn't scratch it immediately and used the ticket for something else.
"I actually used the ticket as a bookmark for a couple weeks before I decided to scratch it," she said.
When she did finally scratch it, she ended up hitting the jackpot of $5 million.
"I never win anything. I was sure the ticket was fake. It wasn't until I brought it into the office that I knew it was for real," the 46-year-old confessed.
The jackpot winner wants to spend her win on a family vacation to the Bahamas. She also said the money would come in handy to secure a loan-free college education for her children.
She will receive the $5 million in 19 annual payments of $260,000 (net $172,068) and one additional payment of $60,000 (net $39,708). After that, she will continue to receive an annual net payment of $172,068 for life.
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