By nine o’clock, the kitchen table was completely clear except for my open laptop and the ticket in its clear plastic sleeve.

The official Ohio lottery website loaded slowly on the screen, blue text glowing against a white background.

I zoomed in on the winning numbers drawn at eight thirty that evening.

07, 14, 22, 39, 41, and the bonus ball 18.

I held the plastic sleeve up under the bright desk lamp.

The red ink printed on the paper scratch ticket matched every single digit across the main line.

I checked the validation serial number printed along the bottom edge of the card.