Historic Winner Of GA's Newest Lottery Game Plans To Buy A Car

The first winner of the Georgia Lottery's newest game was a 56-year-old Murrayville woman, officials said Thursday.

The Georgia Lottery said Pamela Pierce won $10,000 playing the new Georgia Millionaire scratch-off. The mortgage closer and her husband bought their lucky ticket from a Thompson Bridge Road gas station in Murrayville, officials said.

“I started crying," Pierce told the Georgia Lottery. "I couldn’t believe it. I think I’m going to buy a car for myself. It’s going to be a nice down payment. I’m so excited.”

Georgia Millionaire players have a chance to win $10,000 instant cash prizes, lottery officials said. Georgia Lottery lists its retailers online.

Then, non-winning tickets can be entered into the lottery's second-chance drawing, which will be held as the New Year's Eve ball drops to ring in 2026. At that time, three players will win $1 million each, lottery officials said.

Players can submit their non-winning tickets online, and winners will be shared on the Georgia Lottery website.

This Week's Winners

While the Georgia Millionaire's second-chance drawing seems so far off, massive prizes are being awarded to players now.

Winnings totaling $38,873,614 have been secured through scratch-off tickets in the last week, officials said.

Someone in Macon scored $1 million with just $10. Lottery officials said the victor played the $1,000,000 Triple Match scratcher with a ticket purchased at a North Avenue grocery store in Macon. The winner claimed their prize Monday.

In Alpharetta, the Paranormal Payout diggi game was profitable by way of $10,000 for a resident on Sunday.

All funding from the Georgia Lottery's digital games, scratch-offs and other games benefit education in the Peach State, lottery officials said.

Online winning tickets have an expiration date of 180 days from the drawing date while instant ticket winners have 90 days from the expired date to claim prizes. Instructions on how to receive prizes are here.

Georgia takes 5.75 percent in state taxes and 24 percent in federal taxes for winnings more than $5,000.

"The (Georgia Lottery Corporation) reports to the IRS and Georgia Department of Revenue the names of winners of prizes above $600. ... Additionally, the GLC is required to check for and deduct any outstanding child support payments for prizes of $2,500 and above and student loans and state taxes for prizes of $5,000 and above, net of wager or ticket cost," lottery officials said on the Georgia Lottery website.