written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
11 Jun 2025
Journalist, Editorial Department
The Pennsylvania Lottery recently presented a ceremonial check to a winner who took home over $1.3 million. The event took place at the organization’s district office in Pittsburgh.
The lucky recipient of the prize is Christopher Lehman from Beaver County, who has served in the U.S. Army for 25 years. He won $1,351,472 in the online lottery game Jackpot Spectacular.
"My wife always says I'm lucky. I saw the amount of the progressive jackpot and thought it would be drawn soon. So, I put in $100 and figured if I lost it, it wouldn't be a big deal. When the bonus hit, I was just frozen. My wife couldn't believe it either. We called the organizers and got confirmation of the win," Lehman shared.
Founded in 1971, the Pennsylvania Lottery is one of the few in the U.S. established to support social programs. All its revenue is directed toward funding assistance for the state's elderly residents. In addition to traditional scratch-off tickets and drawings, the Pennsylvania Lottery is actively developing its online platform, offering modern games with progressive jackpots.
"Congratulations to Christopher and his family on this life-changing win. Every ticket purchased, whether online or in-store, helps the Pennsylvania Lottery support programs for the state's seniors. This victory has transformed one family's life and contributed to the greater good," said Revenue Secretary Pat Brown.
Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko added, "I join in the congratulations and thank Christopher for his service. We are always thrilled when a win brings real change to people's lives."
Christopher and his wife, Judith, revealed that they plan to use part of their winnings to pay off debts, while the remainder will be invested to grow their fortune.
In related news, a California resident recently won a substantial jackpot in the Powerball lottery.
