Texan Wins $77,000
Tuesday May 11th 2010A lottery prize worth $77,000 was won by a man who got bored at a fuel station as he stood waiting for his tank to fill. Matthew Brown, who lives in Carrollton, Texas, decided to buy a Spicy Hot 7’s scratch card ticket to relieve his boredom, and a few minutes later he had won the last remaining top prize in the game.
Anthony J. Sadberry, who is Executive Director of the Texas Lottery Commission, said: “We continue to remind our players that it takes only one ticket to win, and Mr. Brown’s story shows how a little entertainment can pay off in a big way.”
With his fuel tank freshly refilled, Matthew didn’t waste any time in making his claim. He sped off to visit the Dallas Claim Centre the very next morning, his enthusiasm keeping him company all the way. “You can’t wait to come in with something like that burning a hole in your pocket,” he said.
Matthew had won smaller prizes playing Texas Lottery games in the past – his best win was worth the princely sum of $30 – but his family found it difficult to believe him when he told them he’d won the $77,000 top prize in the Spicy Hot 7’s game. Instead, they suspected that he was trying to play a prank on them. Fortunately, he could understand their predicament. “You think someone’s telling a joke or that they’re talking about someone else who won or something,” he said. “You never think it will happen so close to you.”
The lucky Texan now plans to have a winning Christmas and to treat himself to an extra special gift. He is also looking forward to using the money to create a better future for himself. “I’m not in school right now because of some financial problems,” he explained, “but this could help with that.”