Woodbridge woman wins $1 million playing Mega Millions

Sandra McDonald is starting 2015 with a million bucks.

The Woodbridge woman matched the first five numbers in the December 30 Mega Millions drawing. The only number she missed was the Mega Ball number. That wins Mega Millions’ second prize of $1 million. She bought the winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 13360 Minnieville Road in Woodbridge. The store receives a $10,000 bonus from the Lottery for selling the winning ticket.

“I saw the winning numbers on the news, and I thought, ‘I don’t remember having those numbers,’” she said. But later in the night, when she couldn’t sleep, she checked the numbers online and discovered she’d won big.

“I don’t believe this!” was her reaction. The winning numbers for that drawing were 3-7-44-63-67 and the Mega Ball number was 12. Had she matched all six numbers, she would have won a jackpot estimated at $172 million.

Her ticket was one of just two nationwide to win the $1 million prize. No ticket won the jackpot in that drawing. Ms. McDonald, who is retired, said she plans to invest her winnings and also pay off debt.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesday and Friday nights at 11. Drawings are broadcast on TV stations across Virginia and streamed live at www.valottery.com and on the Lottery’s Facebook page. The odds of winning the $1 million prize in Mega Millions are 1 in 18,492,204.