Retired barber won big with Virginia scratcher, plans to give it all to his wife

A retired barber won with a lottery scratcher and has some big plans for the money, Virginia officials said.

While his wife was grocery shopping, Henry Johnson bought scratchers at a market in Salem, according to a Sept. 24 news release by the Virginia Lottery.

Johnson scratched the $100,000 Extreme Cash ticket in the store but had no idea he’d actually claim the second top prize, as the chances of winning are 1 in 1,101,600, lottery officials said.

“I was really surprised!” he told lottery officials.

As for what he plans to do with the money, it’s going to a very special person, he said.

“I’m giving it to my wife,” he told officials.

The third and final top prize has been claimed, so $100,000 Extreme Cash now closed, officials said.

Salem is about a 190-mile drive southwest from Richmond.

This story was originally published September 25, 2025 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Retired barber won big with Virginia scratcher, plans to give it all to his wife."