Latest news with #ChristopherLehman
Miami Herald
14 hours ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Soldier hits lottery jackpot after move to PA — and wife can't believe the prize
As an active-duty Army soldier was getting acquainted with his new home in Pennsylvania, he decided to test his luck by purchasing a lottery ticket. 'My wife always says I have good luck,' Christopher Lehman told officials. 'I looked at the progressive prize amount for Jackpot Spectacular and thought, 'That one's about to pop soon.'' The $1.3 million prize showed up when he played the online game, leaving the Beaver County couple in shock, lottery officials said in a June 10 news release. 'I just stared at it for a second,' the service member of 25 years said. 'My wife didn't believe it either. We called the Lottery together, and I put the phone on speaker so we could both hear it was real.' Lehman said he had previously played the lottery in New Hampshire, where he lived until his move to Pennsylvania about one month ago, according to officials. Just before his big win, he decided to play the lottery online and signed up for an account in Pennsylvania. Lehman and his wife plan to spend their $1,351,472 prize on paying off a car loan and mortgage, then invest the remainder. The couple will also be celebrating their youngest daughter's graduation from Army Basic training on June 12, they told officials. Beaver County is about a 30-mile drive northwest from Pittsburgh.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Active-duty Army service member wins $1.3M on the day he opens an online PA lottery account
An active duty Army service member celebrated his big lottery win on Tuesday. Christopher Lehman, who has served in the Army for 25 years, won over $1.3 million in the Pennsylvania Lottery Jackpot Spectacular online game. He had just moved to Beaver County from New Hampshire and won the big prize on the first day he opened his online lottery account. "She [Lehman's wife] always says I'm the lucky one because I'll either break even or win. I hardly ever lose on that, so I was I hardly ever lose, let me try this," he said. The Pennsylvania Lottery says Lehman and his wife plan to use the money to pay off their mortgage and a car loan, then invest the rest. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Pennsylvania Lottery presents $1.3 million prize to active-duty Army servicemember
An active-duty Army servicemember is Pennsylvania's newest millionaire after winning a $1.3 million Pennsylvania Lottery online prize. More than 74,000 people have played the Pennsylvania Lottery's Jackpot Spectacular online since it launched, but now, Christopher Lehman is the latest jackpot winner. Lehman said he took $20 while waiting for his wife at the airport on May 30, and he played the game for the first time when he won the big prize. "As far as winning any sum of money this big, yeah. This was a surprise," said Lehman. "I was like, 'Uh, I'll believe you when the money hits the account,'" wife Judith Marshal said with a chuckle. However, after speaking with the Pennsylvania Lottery, the $1,351,472 sum did go into his account. "I like doing what I do. I like working for the military. I've done it for 25 years," said Lehman. He said he enlisted as a teenager. "I started off in combat arms. I was a scout, did reconnaissance and then my kids got tired of the deployments," Lehman said. Now living and continuing his service to our county in Beaver County, luck has grown in our state. On Tuesday, the lottery presented Lehman with a commemorative check to mark the special win. "It's exciting. It's one of the most fun parts of our jobs, I think, being able to share any celebrations with the winners and seeing these life-changing amounts happen for them," Pennsylvania Lottery's Deputy Communications Director Diana Dietz said. "It feels good. I mean, I've got two older kids. One's in college, one will graduate from the Army on Thursday," Lehman said. KDKA-TV asked Lehman about his plans with the new funds. "Believe it or not, all of the stuff we already had planned was already planned before this. The only thing I did was upgrade a truck, and then the rest of it went into investments," he added. This big-time lottery winner is financially responsible and family-first with his jackpot. "I just think my husband's super lucky he met me first and then won the lottery. So, he's just a lucky guy all around," Marshal said jokingly. With some sense of humor and gratitude for this streak of luck, Lehman agreed that this is his last time he'll play the lottery for now. "You know the one in a million shot or whatever the odds are, I'm good." If you have a gambling problem, help is available. You can call 1-800-GAMBLER at any time to talk with someone confidentially.
