NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — It was no April Fools joke.

Norfolk man Stuart Thompson won the $1 million prize in the Virginia Lottery’s Multiplier Mania game on April 1. He bought the scratcher at the Corner Mart at 7900 Chesapeake Boulevard in Norfolk.

“I called my wife. I said, ‘Baby, you’re not going to believe what happened to me!’”

The Lottery says he originally thought he wasn’t a winner at first glance, but was thrilled when he looked closer.

Thompson had the choice of taking the $1 million prize in annual payments over 30 years, but instead took the one-time lump sum of $625,000 before taxes.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling!” he said. “I just can’t believe it’s real!”