Thu Jun 12 07:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Active-Duty Soldier Strikes Gold with Pennsylvania Lottery Online

**Pittsburgh, PA -** Christopher Lehman, an active-duty Army soldier with 25 years of service, is celebrating a life-changing windfall after winning over $1.3 million playing the Pennsylvania Lottery’s online “Jackpot Spectacular” game. Lottery officials presented Lehman with a ceremonial check for $1,351,472 at their Pittsburgh office on June 10th.

Lehman, who recently relocated to Beaver County from New Hampshire with his wife Judith, won the jackpot on May 30th, the same day he created his online Lottery account. He had allocated $100 to play the game, noting his wife’s belief in his good luck and a feeling that the progressive jackpot was about to hit.

“My wife always says I have good luck,” Lehman stated in a Lottery press release. “I looked at the progressive prize amount for Jackpot Spectacular and thought, ‘That one’s about to pop soon.'”

The win came as a complete surprise. “The bonus popped up and I couldn’t believe it,” Lehman recounted. “I just stared at it for a second. 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.”

Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne congratulated Lehman and emphasized the Lottery’s mission. “Congratulations to Christopher and his family on winning this life-changing prize,” Browne said. “We’re also reminding everyone that every Lottery purchase, whether online or in-store at a retailer, helps the Pennsylvania Lottery fulfill its mission of supporting programs and services that benefit older Pennsylvanians.”

Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko echoed the sentiment, adding, “We’re always happy to see one of our players win a prize that will make a big difference in their lives.”

Lehman and his wife plan to use the winnings to pay off their mortgage and car loan, and invest the remainder. The win coincides with another milestone for the Lehman family – their youngest daughter is graduating from Army basic training on June 12th, a celebration they are both eagerly anticipating.

The “Jackpot Spectacular” is a connect-style game with shared progressive jackpots across multiple states. The Pennsylvania Lottery’s online games, launched in May 2018, have generated over $500 million in profit for programs benefiting older Pennsylvanians.

Read More