An anonymous couple from South Carolina is thanking their lucky stars after one of them realized their “losing” lottery ticket was actually a big winner.

The couple, described by the South Carolina Education Lottery in a July 25 news release as being from the “upstate” region of South Carolina, recently purchased a $5 Double Sided Dollars Extra Play lottery scratch-off ticket from a convenience store in Spartanburg. 

Spartanburg is a city in northern South Carolina, about 75 miles southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

GUT FEELING LEADS TO $300,000 LOTTERY WIN FOR SOUTH CAROLINA MAN

After scratching it, the wife did not think she’d won — so she threw the ticket away.

But her eagle-eyed husband noticed the ticket in the trash and saw something his wife had missed.

“You have a 12 on it,” the man recounted to the South Carolina Education Lottery, meaning that the ticket was not a loser after all. 

WASHINGTON EDUCATOR WINS $200,000 JACKPOT AFTER TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

He plucked the ticket from the trash and his wife kept scratching the card – discovering that she had won $200,000.

The couple told the South Carolina Education Lottery they’re “happy and thankful everything worked out.”

With their winnings, the two plan on buying a new house, they told lottery officials. 

VIRGINIA WOMAN WINS LOTTERY 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY: ‘A LITTLE EXTRA FUN’

The couple had a 1 in 750,000 chance of winning the $200,000 top prize in the Double Sided Dollars Extra Play, the South Carolina Education Lottery said. 

The South Carolina Education Lottery reported on the couple’s stroke of good luck in a July 25 article on its website.  (South Carolina Education Lottery / Fox News)

The Double Sided Dollars Extra Play game went on sale on March 19, 2024, the South Carolina Education Lottery’s website said.

Three of the four top prizes of $200,000 have been claimed. 

A total of 32 second-place prizes of $1,000 are still available. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Thousands of other prizes, ranging from $5 to $500, are also available. 

The South Carolina Education Lottery was created after a Nov. 7, 2000, referendum that saw residents of the state vote to approve the implementation of a state-run lottery, the lottery’s website said.

One $200,000 prize has yet to be claimed, lottery officials said. (South Carolina Education Lottery)

The South Carolina Education Lottery Act was ratified by the South Carolina General Assembly a little more than six months later, and the bill was signed into law. 

The first tickets for the South Carolina Education Lottery’s games were sold in March 2002, its website said. 

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

A quarter of the South Carolina Education Lottery’s proceeds go toward various educational programs in the state, according to the website. 

The rest go to prizes, retailer commissions and operating costs.

This amounts to more than $8 billion since 2002, according to the lottery. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle

During the first 20 years of the lottery, more than 2.5 million scholarships have been distributed to South Carolina students, the website said.  

The South Carolina Education Lottery declined to provide additional details on the lucky couple’s big win.

In a surprise commitment, Malik Clark chose the Florida State Seminoles over North Carolina and South Carolina. After today’s commitment, the Gamecocks will have to pivot as they look to put the finishing touches on the class.

Clark is a four-star receiver from South Carolina’s own back yard in Rock Hill. He combines size (6-foot-2.5 and 180 pounds) with great speed (4.39 in the 40). He can win on routes in multiple ways with the ability to refine his footwork and get bigger in a P4 strength and conditioning program, all to say he has room for improvement as well.

His commitment to Florida State was not expected by those in Columbia, South Carolina. The prevailing thought by many was that he would stay home and join the Gamecocks. While this still could happen, the staff has some work to do.

Currently South Carolina has three wide receivers committed to the class in four-star Lex Cyrus, four-star Brian Rowe, and three-star Jayden Sellers. The Gamecocks would like to add a fourth receiver in the class, but who could they add?

Malik Clark is still going to be a big target for the team. Losing blue chip players in your own backyard isn’t something that’ll go over well in Columbia. Coach Beamer will continue to fight for Clark’s signature going forward. Four-star Winston Watkins Jr. and three-star Giyahni Kontosis, who is set to commit on Saturday, are two potential names to watch out for going forward.

You Might Also Like:

Join the community:

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking “Follow” on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on X at @GamecocksDigest and on Facebook!

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Three-time National Champion South Carolina women’s basketball will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, for the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge featuring the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena. The Gamecocks will face off against TCU on Sun., Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. ET on an ESPN network. It will be the first meeting between the two programs.

Tickets for the event will go on presale on Mon., Aug. 12, and on sale to the general public on Fri., Aug. 16. Fans can purchase tickets through the Dickies Arena box office.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley returns nine letterwinners from her undefeated 2024 National Championship team for the 2024-25 season, including three All-SEC selections in the NCAA’s top 3-point percentage shooter in senior guard Te-Hina Paopao, junior point guard Raven Johnson and junior forward Ashlyn Watkins, along with second leading scorer MiLaysia Fulwiley. Starters Bree Hall and Chloe Kitts are back as well, joined by NCAA Final Four All-Tournament selection Tessa Johnson and forwards Sania Feagin and Sakima Walker. The veteran group welcomes junior transfer Maryam Dauda and the Nos. 3 and 14 signees in the Class of 2025 in Joyce Edwards and Maddy McDaniel. Class of 2025 early enrollee Adhel Tac is expected to be ready to take the floor this season as well.

The Gamecocks became the 10th team in NCAA history to complete an undefeated National Championship season in 2023-24, adding the program’s eighth SEC Regular-Season Championship and eighth SEC Tournament title as well. South Carolina led the nation in scoring defense, scoring margin and blocked shots per game, setting program records for scoring average, scoring margin, field goals made, 3-point field goals made, defensive rebounds and assists.

TCU finished the 2023-24 season 21-12 overall, including spending some time ranked in the AP Top 25. Eight letterwinners from that team return for 2024-25, and the Horned Frogs added a pair of SEC transfers in Maddie Scherr (Kentucky) and Hailey Van Lith (LSU).

Other games previously announced on the Gamecocks’ 2024-25 season – Nov. 4 vs. Michigan in Las Vegas, Nev.; in the Hall of Fame Series, Nov. 10 in Charlotte, N.C., against NC State in the Ally Tipoff; Nov. 24 at UCLA; Nov. 28 and Nov. 30, against Iowa State and Purdue, respectively, in the Elevance Health Fort Myers Tipoff; and Dec. 5 against Duke in Columbia.

For information on South Carolina Women’s Basketball 2024-25 season tickets, visit https://thegamecockclub.com/wbb/.

Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.