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Life-changing lottery win stuns 26-year Army veteran enjoying retirement in Virginia

A Virginia man who served 26 years in U.S. Army won more than $2 million playing an online game, Virginia Lottery officials say.
A Virginia man who served 26 years in U.S. Army won more than $2 million playing an online game, Virginia Lottery officials say. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A man who served 26 years in the U.S. Army went from average retiree to wealthy retiree after he won a top prize in the Virginia Lottery.

It happened as David Revill was playing Wheel of Bonuses, an online game with a “progressive” jackpot that grows until someone wins.

The pot of cash had just topped $2 million when Revill realized it was his for the taking, lottery officials said in an April 1 news release.

“I was kind of stunned at first,” Revill said in the news release. “I saw it and thought, ‘No, it can never ...’”

His winnings came to $2,164,899, which means he was still a millionaire after taxes.

Lottery prizes of more than $5,000 face a 24% federal tax rate and a 4% state tax rate, officials said. Taxes are withheld automatically when the winner comes to collect.

Details of how Revill intended to use the money were not revealed. His home is in Gainesville, Virginia, about a 35-mile drive southwest from Washington, D.C.

Overall odds in Wheel of Bonuses are 1 in 3.67. Players “try to reveal a cluster of three or more matching symbols to win a prize.”

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 2:23 PM with the headline "Life-changing lottery win stuns 26-year Army veteran enjoying retirement in Virginia."

MP
Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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