Dad gives lottery ticket as gift to daughter — and she wins life-changing prize
A gift from her dad led a Georgia woman to a life-changing lottery prize. Now, she has big plans.
Vanesa Menijvar Acosta, of Norcross, scratched the $25,000,000 Mega Money ticket to reveal a $2 million prize, the Massachusetts Lottery said in a May 28 news release.
Acosta is the first $2 million winner in the new scratch-off game, which launched May 13, the lottery said. She beat odds of 1 in 6,300,000 to snag the second-tier prize.
Her dad bought the winning ticket from the East Boston Corner Market in East Boston, according to the lottery. The store will receive a $20,000 commission.
On May 28, Acosta claimed her prize and chose a one-time lump sum payment of $1.3 million before taxes, the lottery said. She told officials she has plans to buy a home and attend college.
Three top prizes worth $25 million remain up for grabs in the $25,000,000 Mega Money instant game, according to the lottery’s website.
East Boston is a less than 5-mile drive northeast from downtown Boston.
This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 7:15 AM with the headline "Dad gives lottery ticket as gift to daughter — and she wins life-changing prize."