In the  world of chance, winning a million dollars in the lottery either in big games by single tickets or by purchased scratch tickets, is rare.  Winning a million dollars according to game rules listed on tickets has a millions to one chance for the big money. In Botetourt County yesterday’s  5 of 6 in the Powerball Lottery earned Amber Thompson and her husband Marvin of Buchanan, a cool million. Click here for the story in today’s Roanoke Times. Five Botetourt County residents have one a million or over, in lottery games

Gloria and Ron Foster of Troutville still own the grand prize win in Botetourt County, according to  the Virginia Lottery’s Millionaire list. In May 1991 the couple won 6.6 million in a lotto drawing. The other lotto winning couple Ed and Barabara Stevens of Fincastle,  won 3 million in April of 1999. The Thompson’s became the third lotto type winner by matching 5 of 6 numbers in the huge Powerball jackpot on Wednesday night November 28. Powerball is a multi state game that builds large jackpots, but also has large odds against winning.

Two other Botetourt residents have  won a million dollars in scratcher games in the past two years. They are  Jim Crumley of Buchanan and Bertha Ringley of Fincastle.

For a county of 34,000 plus residents, the Virginia Lottery’s Lady Luck seems to smile more often and in a million ways. And maybe proving it pays to live in Botetourt County!