A quick trip back to WinCo to retrieve left-behind card sparked a spontaneous ticket purchase and the surprise of a lifetime
Olympia, WA (April 21, 2025) – A frantic search for a lost debit card led to a nearly half-million-dollar surprise for one Marysville resident this month.
After finishing some shopping at the WinCo Foods located at 3947 116th Street NE in Marysville, the winner returned home only to realize his debit card was missing. He retraced his steps, hoping it had been turned in. Fortunately, the WinCo staff had found the card and set it aside for safekeeping.
Feeling a mix of relief and gratitude, the Marysville resident thought to himself, “This must be my lucky day. I should buy some lottery tickets.” He decided to purchase a few different games, including a HIT 5 ticket.
Later that evening, as he sat down to check his tickets, he began comparing his numbers to the winning numbers one by one. When the third number matched, his hands began to tremble. By the time he realized he had matched all five numbers and won the $480,000 cashpot, he could hardly believe it.
The winner plans on using his newfound fortune to check off a few bucket list dreams, including traveling to Japan and exploring the East Coast.
HIT 5 is a Washington state lottery game that replaced Quinto in 2007. Each play is $1. Players pick five numbers between 1 and 42. Alternatively, players may use Quick Pick by letting the computer select their numbers. With four winning ball combinations, the more numbers that match those drawn, the more a player will win. Players can find Washington’s Lottery retail locations here.
Who Benefits
Since 1982, Washington’s Lottery has generated more than $5.3 billion to support several important state programs. The Lottery’s primary beneficiary is the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account (WOPA), which provides much-needed funding for programs including early childhood education, the Washington College Grant and College Bound program, Washington Award for Vocational Excellence, GET Ready for Math and Science scholarships, and more. These programs help provide critical services and support to thousands of Washington residents each year and help improve their lives.
Beneficiary Fact
Washington’s Lottery is proud to be a financial supporter of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), which administers state financial aid programs. WSAC leads a variety of initiatives to increase educational opportunities for students, families, and educators across the state, with a particular focus on increasing equity by reaching communities of color and students from low-income families. The Lottery also proudly supports the state’s Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP), a state-funded pre-K program that helps children become kindergarten-ready by building early skills in reading, math and science. The program works closely with parents to support their children’s health and education.
About Washington’s Lottery: The state’s Lottery offers consumers several types of games, including Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Pick 3, Cash POP, Daily Keno and Scratch. For more information, visit www.walottery.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @walottery.
Keep it fun. Know your limit. Washington’s Lottery is an advocate for responsible gaming and collaborates with the Evergreen Council for Problem Gambling to provide resources for those in need. More information is available at www.walottery.com/Responsibility.
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Press Contacts
Dan Miller (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: dan.miller@curatorpr.com
Xiamara Garza (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: xiamara.garza@curatorpr.com