Winner plans to visit family and save
Olympia, WA (April 8, 2026) – Sometimes, the most ordinary routines can lead to extraordinary moments. That was the case for RW, a 70-year-old disabled Navy veteran from Selah, who recently won a $5,000 top prize playing the $5,000 Frenzy Scratch game from Washington’s Lottery.
A regular Lottery player, RW often picks up a mix of Scratch tickets and draw games like Match 4, a game he has already won three times over the years. On this visit to the Selah Express gas station and convenience store, located at 777 North Park Center in Selah, after he purchased his Scratch tickets, he headed out to his car to see if luck was on his side.
It did not take long to find out. After scratching the first ticket, RW realized he had just won the game’s top prize, so he walked back inside to share the news with the store clerk, who may have taken the name of the game a bit too literally.
“I think the clerk was more excited and frenzied than I was,” RW said.
The win marks RW’s biggest Scratch prize to date, well surpassing previous wins of $20 to $500. He plans to use part of the $5,000 to visit his son and put the rest into savings. His dog, always the loyal companion, even joined him on the trip to the Lottery’s Tri-Cities Regional Office to claim his winnings.
While this win is a meaningful one, RW says he has not lost sight of what matters most.
“If I did end up winning a big million-dollar prize someday, I’d use the money to help as many disabled and homeless vets as possible,” he said.
Washington’s Lottery offers Scratch games priced between $1 and $30, each with varying prize amounts. The number of actual prizes available in a game may vary based on the number of tickets printed, tested, distributed, sold, and number of prizes claimed. 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 WA 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-Urbieta (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: xiamara.garza@curatorpr.com