Gift from dad earns Virginia man a lottery jackpot

Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A Virginia man won a lottery prize worth $1,000 a week for life from a ticket his father gave to him as a gift.

Aaron Andrews told Virginia Lottery officials that he and his wife have been living in his father's basement since their wedding in April.

Andrews said his father bought him a ticket for the Aug. 3 Cash4Life drawing, and he ended up matching the first five numbers, earning a prize of $1,000 per week for life.

"I have a great father who has done nothing but look out for me," Andrews told lottery officials.

Andrews chose to accept his prize as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $1 million. He said the money will allow him to buy a house.

His father, who bought the ticket from PJ's Neighborhood Variety Store on Fuller Heights Road in Triangle, joked that this was his plan all along.

"This was the best way to get him out of my basement," he said.