‘I went outside & cried,’ says lotto player who won $1m after getting puzzling message on app – win came on perfect day

A LOTTERY player found herself in possession of the ultimate gift that keeps on giving.

April Zipp's world stopped when she learned she won a million-dollar jackpot on a lottery ticket her husband bought her for her birthday.

Zipp's husband bought ice cream and $20 in Mega Millions tickets at BG's Value Market in Jonestown, Pennsylvania, the day before his wife's birthday, Zipp told local ABC affiliate WHTM.

Gifting her the tickets ahead of the April 12 drawing, Zipp's husband had no clue his $20 purchase would change their lives forever.

“I got up the next day, on my birthday, and checked the tickets with the lottery’s app," Zipp told WHTM.

"And it told me a claim form was needed. I didn’t understand it at first."

Confused about the message, she took the ticket back to BG’s, where the clerk scanned it and told her it was a $1 million winner.

Zipp signed the back in disbelief, attempting to wrap her head around the big win.

“I went outside and cried," Zipp said.

Zipp said she plans to continue working for now but a cross-country trip in an RV is in the works for the 40-year-old school bus driver.

BG’s Value Market Owner Dianne Koval told WHTM the grocery store is excited to see the win go to a community member.

"It goes to show that winning tickets can show up anywhere, and anyone has a chance to win,” Koval said.

The store will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

TOUGH CALL

Though Zipp is technically a millionaire, that's only before taxes.

She now has to decide if she wants to take the large prize in the form of a lump sum or an annuity.

Lump sums grant the cash in one payment, while annuities pay out over long periods of time.

A lump sum could give her the advantage to walk away with a huge chunk of change.

But an annuity, which typically pays out over years or decades, will reduce the amount of taxable income Zipp needs to report to the government.

The U.S. Sun frequently covers players who lose a chunk of their lottery change after taxes kick in.

Michael Stephens, who was the second winner of the $1 million prize for the new JAWS instant ticket game, forked over $350,000 after he chose to receive his win in the form of a lump sum.

Meanwhile, a Massachusetts winner who wanted to use the money to help her family as quickly as possible also sacrificed $350,000 of her win.

Another lottery winner instantly lost $87,000 from their prize due to a key choice.

Plus, check out our lottery live blog for the very latest news and updates...

Remember, playing the lottery is a form of gambling and should be done responsibly.

If you or someone you know has signs of gambling addiction, call the National Gambling Hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling website.