Lucky ticket from father opens up wealth of possibilities for young winner

By Kate Northrop

EAST BOSTON, Mass. — A Georgia woman won $2 million from a Massachusetts Lottery ticket gifted to her by father, opening the door to new opportunities in life.

A Georgia resident claimed a $2 million lottery prize far from home after her father purchased a Massachusetts Lottery scratch-off ticket for her as a gift.

Vanesa Menijvar Acosta of Norcross, Georgia had to make a trip to Dorchester, Massachusetts to claim a $2 million prize she won in the lottery, and it's all thanks to her dad.

He had purchased one of the Massachusetts Lottery's $50 tickets from the new "$25,000,000 Mega Money" scratch-off game, which launched three weeks ago, at East Boston Corner Market on London Street in East Boston.

And now, Menijvar Acosta is the first player to win the game's $2 million second-tier prize.

She opted to claim the prize as a one-time payment of about $1.3 million before taxes. The winnings will open a trove of possibilities for the young lottery winner, who plans on using the prize to buy a house and go to college.

For selling the winning ticket, the retailer receives a $20,000 bonus from the Lottery.

The $50 "$25,000,000 Mega Money" scratch-off game offers three top prizes of a whopping $25 million, of which all three are currently available. Menijvar Acosta claimed the first second-tier prize of $2 million, leaving three remaining in the game. All 12 third-tier prizes of $1 million are also left to claim.

This ticket also offers ten Second Chance Drawings throughout the game's lifecycle, with each drawing awarding ten $50,000 prizes, 8 $1,000 prizes, 65 $500 prizes, and 250 $100 prizes.

The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 4.10.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Vanesa Menijvar Acosta of Norcross, Georgia, pictured here, had to make a trip to Dorchester, Massachusetts to claim a $2 million prize she won in the lottery, and it's all thanks to her dad.