DANVILLE, Ind. — The clerk at a Brownsburg tobacco shop couldn't believe her eyes when she first scanned the ticket.
"You're kidding me," she said, her eyes going wide.
She scanned the ticket several more times. Surely, there must've been an error.
But, nope. Every scan confirmed the same result. Dwight Lindley of Danville just picked up more than a pack of smokes. He was walking out with a golden ticket in his pocket. One worth $724,478.
Lindley's winning jackpot came on a Hoosier Lottery $10 Extreme Green Fast Play ticket. The Danville man said he typically purchases a few Fast Play and Quick Draw tickets every time he stops at Smoker's Choice on N. Green Street in Brownsburg.
Usually, Lindley scans the tickets himself. This time, he'd handed over his ticket to the clerk and asked her to scan it.
“Happiness is the most important thing in life,” Lindley said while reflecting on his big win. “And if this win allows the people I love to be even happier, I’m all for it.”
An avid lottery player, Lindley has been playing the Hoosier Lottery since it began in 1989. He's spent many a daydream imagining striking it rich on a scratcher or a Powerball ticket.
"It's a form of entertainment," he said.
Lindley's $724,478 jackpot is a particularly emotional win for the Danville man due to the health issues he's currently battling. Lindley said he plans on using the prize money to make sure his family is financially secure for years to come, though he's still open to using a little bit of the winnings to enjoy life and retirement.
On May 19, the Hoosier Lottery will be launching new Fast Play games including $5 Cash King and the rolling jackpot game $10 Wild 10s, which will replace $10 Extreme Green.
The Hoosier Lottery is only available to play by those 18 or older.