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Massachusetts Woman Turns $30 Lottery Ticket into $15M Payday

By jili tutorial · September 5, 2026

Massachusetts Woman Turns $30 Lottery Ticket into $15M Payday

A Life-Changing Scratch-Off Win in Springfield

A lucky Massachusetts woman has claimed the first top prize in one of the state’s highest-paying scratch-off games. Lori Morales of Springfield visited the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters to collect her winnings, and she plans to use the fortune to buy a new home for her family.

How the $15 Million Prize Was Won

Morales was playing the $30 “$15,000,000 Magnificent Millions” scratch-off game when she discovered she had scratched off a top prize of $15 million. This win marks the first time a top prize from that game has been awarded, making it a historic moment for both Morales and the Massachusetts Lottery.

The winning ticket was purchased at Cumberland Farms, located at 1061 Memorial Drive in Chicopee. For selling the ticket, the store will receive a $50,000 incentive bonus.

Lump Sum vs. Annuity: Morales’s Choice

After claiming her prize at lottery headquarters, Morales had the option to take the full $15 million as an annuity paid over time or accept a one-time lump sum payment of $9.75 million (before taxes). She chose the lump sum. Speaking with lottery officials, she said she intends to use part of the money to buy a new home for her family.

Still Up for Grabs: Remaining Prizes

At launch, the $15,000,000 Magnificent Millions game featured three top prizes of $15 million, along with eight second-tier prizes of $1 million. As of now, two of the top prizes and all second-tier prizes remain unclaimed.

Another Big Winner in Massachusetts: $4 Million Payout

Just days before Morales’s win, another player hit a seven-figure prize. Jose Valerio of Harwich won $4 million playing the Massachusetts State Lottery’s “100X” instant ticket game. After visiting lottery headquarters, Valerio took a lump sum of $2.6 million before taxes. Like Morales, he said his first priority would be to look for a new home.

New Initiative: Protecting Athletes from Harassment

In other Massachusetts-related news, the state’s gambling regulator recently launched “Bet On Respect,” a program aimed at protecting professional athletes from harassment and threats. Under this initiative, offenders risk being placed on an involuntary exclusion list. Individuals on that list will be denied entry to local casinos and barred from gambling online.