The Ohio Lottery from April 2013 to April 2016 sold more than 1 billion scratch-off instant tickets.
However, the big winners of $25,000 or more total less than 1,000. The chances of you winning the major jackpots are very small.
“I was just standing there shaking,” said Eric Baucan from Garfield Heights. He was describing the time when he scratched off a $2 million winning ticket at a convenience store just down the street from him. “The woman behind the counter snapped me out of it,” explained Baucan.
He bought a $5 ticket. It won 20 bucks. So, he bought a $20 ticket. It won 20 dollars. So, he bought one more $20 ticket and that’s when he revealed the money pouch symbol and the $2 million prize. “It’s life changing.”
It was all on New Year’s Day in 2015. The same day as the birthday of his mother, who passed away several years ago. He credited her and God for watching out for him and his wife Sandy. “I sat up in bed…and I’m looking (at the ticket) and I’m like ‘Oh, my God!’” said Sandy.
The couple bought a house in Florida and will be moving there soon along with their niece and nephew who the Baucans have been helping to raise for a while now. “The schools are great (down there),” Baucan said.
So, the question NewsChannel 5 has for you is: what if you knew where the luckiest cities and towns were in Ohio for big scratch-off winners in the last three years? What about the luckiest store? Don’t miss 5 On Your Side Investigator Jonathan Walsh's special report airing Wednesday on NewsChannel 5 at 11. He reveals all of that and so much more including advice from a store owner who’s had four big winners in the last three years at his shop.
