Travel South Carolina South Carolina Dog Lover Wins Big After Impulse Buy of Pup-Themed Lottery Ticket The tail of a lucky gambler who came out top dog. By Meghan Overdeep Meghan Overdeep Meghan Overdeep has more than a decade of writing and editing experience for top publications. Her expertise extends from weddings and animals to every pop culture moment in between. She has been scouring the Internet for the buzziest Southern news since joining the team in 2017. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 8, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email A love of dogs translated into big money for one South Carolina resident. A woman was inside a Circle K in Marion when a Happy Pawlidays! scratch-off ticket caught her eye. She said couldn't resist the cute pups pictured on the new holiday-themed game. And who could? "I love dogs," she told South Carolina Education Lottery officials. South Carolina Education Lottery The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, bought one, scratched it, and was astonished. She was the Lottery's first $30,000 winner on the Happy Pawlidays! scratch-off. "No way," she recalled saying. "No way." Just like her, the eight dogs featured on the $2 scratch-off are also winners. The pups, who all call South Carolina home, received the most votes in a photo contest hosted on the Lottery's website in the spring. Her win leaves three more top prizes remaining in the Happy Pawlidays! game at odds of one in 480,000. Congratulations, you lucky dog! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit