Who is the VIP millions scratch-off winner? Meet the lucky Olmsted Township man who just hit the $1 million jackpot

An Ohio Lottery scratch-off ticket turned into a life-changing win for an Olmsted Township man who thought he had won just a few thousand dollars. The surprising part came when he checked his ticket a second time and realized how much he had actually won. Rather than taking payments over 25 years, he chose a lump-sum payout. He now plans to invest the money and put it toward his future.

Who Is the VIP Millions Scratch-Off Winner

Justin Apathy won the $1 million top prize on the lottery’s $50 VIP Millions game, officials announced on Monday, October 12. The Ohio Lottery identified the winner as Justin Apathy of Olmsted Township. He bought his winning ticket at Shaker’s Market Place, located at 27091 Bagley Road in Olmsted Township, as per a report by Geo News and WKYC.


According to the Ohio Lottery, Apathy had checked its website and noticed that five top prizes were still available in the VIP Millions game. That gave him a reason to try his luck again. He bought four tickets on one occasion. The first three were losers, but the fourth turned out to be the winning ticket.

Apathy initially believed he had won $4,000. After checking the ticket again, he realized he had landed the game’s top prize, worth $40,000 a year for 25 years.

He was so surprised that he struggled to take it in. As he checked the ticket, he kept telling himself, “Don’t pass out!”

The Ohio Lottery’s account of the win describes how Apathy first thought he had won a smaller amount before realizing the prize was much bigger.

How Much Money Will He Receive After Taxes

The VIP Millions top prize is advertised as $1 million, paid out at $40,000 annually over 25 years. Apathy chose the one-time lump-sum option of $500,000 instead. After mandatory tax withholdings of 26.75%, he will receive $366,250, according to the Ohio Lottery’s reported figures. Apathy plans to invest his winnings rather than spend the money immediately. His decision follows a run of smaller wins that had encouraged him to keep trying.

The Ohio Lottery also reported that he had previously won $5,000. Before this latest win, he had been checking the website to see how many top prizes remained.

How Many VIP Millions Prizes Are Still Available

VIP Millions is a $50 scratch-off ticket. The overall chances of winning any prize are 1, in 4.02. The Ohio Lottery says this is a game that gives players an opportunity to win a $1 million prize. On October 12 2026 four top prizes were still left. The lottery’s prize details also show 36 prizes of $20,000 83 prizes of $5,000, 1,253 prizes of $1,000 6,026 prizes of $500 and 112,813 prizes of $100 that are still available. There were no $50,000 prizes left at that time.

Apathy’s win is a reminder that a ticket that appears to be worth a modest amount can sometimes hold a much bigger surprise. For him, the fourth ticket was the one that changed everything.