$7 Million Virginia Lottery Prize Won By Woodbridge Man

WOODBRIDGE, VA — A man from Woodbridge is now $7 million richer after winning a top prize from the Virginia Lottery. Yibeltal Belachew won the jackpot from the Virginia Lottery's 100X The Money scratcher.

Belachew purchased his ticket from the Safeway on Willard Way in Fairfax. When he first scratched the ticket, he knew he had won something. But it wasn't until later that he realized he'd won a life-changing amount of money.

"It took me a while to make sure I wasn't dreaming," Belachew told lottery officials when he went to claim his prize. "You don't believe that kind of stuff right away!"

With a prize of this size, Belachew had the option to choose between $7 million dispersed over 30 years through annual payments or a one-time $4.2 million cash pay-out before taxes. He selected the one-time payment.

The Virginia Lottery's 100X The Money game offers several levels of prizes. There are three top prizes that are each worth $7 million. Belachew was the first to claim a jackpot, meaning two more top prizes are still waiting to be claimed. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 2,611,200.

Other prizes range in value from $30 to $500,000. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 2.77.

Belachew did not tell lottery officials how he would use his winnings. With more than $4 million headed his way before taxes, he has plenty of options.