Grandma and breast cancer survivor decided to play the lottery on her phone. Then she hit it big

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A grandmother of 10 from Pennsylvania who overcame breast cancer has had a huge turnaround in fortunes after winning a record-breaking state lottery prize.

Nicole Walter, 42, received a commemorative check for $2,021,096.49 on Wednesday at the Lottery Area Office in Erie. Walter said she was playing lottery games on her phone alongside her boyfriend when she struck it big.

“I was playing PA Lottery games on my phone, and he was playing on his phone, and he said, ‘Hey, I like the Monopoly one, let’s try it,’” Walter said in a news release about the August win. “Then my screen went blank and popped up $2 million. I was shocked — I didn’t even say anything at first.”

Walter’s win comes after a year of major personal challenges. A breast cancer survivor, she was diagnosed in 2023 and recently completed radiation treatment. She also overcame a heart attack. Now, she says, her focus is on healing and planning for the future.

Walter plans to use her winnings to renovate her farmhouse, a property she bought from a close friend and holds dear. “It was sold to us by a really good friend,” she said. “It’s special to me, and I want to make it even better.”

Nicole Walter, a 42-year-old grandmother of 10, said she plans to use her lottery winnings to renovate her farmhouse (Pennsylvania Lottery)

Walter has been playing the Pennsylvania Lottery online since it launched in 2018. She says she enjoys the convenience of mobile play, and it has paid off in a way she could have never imagined. Outside of lottery games, she’s passionate about race cars, and even used to drive them.

Lottery officials said Walter’s win is another reminder of the impact the games have statewide.

“We are thrilled to award this prize to Nicole Walter,” said Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne. “This is a reminder that every day the Pennsylvania Lottery is awarding life-changing prizes to Pennsylvanians throughout the Commonwealth.”

Walter’s $2 million winnings from the online Monopoly Progressive Jackpots game make it the largest prize ever awarded in Pennsylvania for that specific online game (Getty Images)

Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko added, “Nicole’s incredible story reminds us that life can change in an instant. We’re honored to be part of such meaningful moments for our players.”

Monopoly Progressive Jackpots is a connect-style game with shared progressive jackpots across multiple states. Pennsylvania launched its online lottery games in May 2018, generating more than $500 million in profit for programs that benefit older residents.

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