Lucky penny scratches off a lottery prize of more than $1M

May 20 (UPI) -- A Virginia man used a lucky penny he found in a parking lot to scratch off a Virginia Lottery prize worth more than $1 million.

Timothy Clougherty told Virginia Lottery officials he spotted a penny on the ground in the parking lot of the Bloxom Mini Mart on Shoremain Drive in Accomack and he picked it up to scratch off the $10,000 a Month lottery ticket he bought inside.

Clougherty said he was in disbelief when he scratched off the top prize of $10,000 a month for 10 years.

"It took a week to really start sinking in," he said.

The winner chose to accept his winnings as a lump-sum payment of $1,028,000 before taxes.