Smyrna nurse says $304,000 lottery win is a 'Christmas miracle'
A 58-year-old Smyrna nurse who has been playing the Delaware Lottery for close to 35 years says winning more than $300,000 before taxes last Monday was a "Christmas miracle."
“Just to know I don’t have debt anymore, it’s like a rock has come off of me,” she told the state lottery office.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she usually buys Multi-Win Lotto tickets at the Royal Farms in Smyrna every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on her way home from work.
Tickets are $2 per game and each game includes three lines of play.
Last Monday, she chose her own numbers for one line of numbers and used the quick pick for the other two.
The line she picked herself ended up matching all six numbers – winning her $304,007 before taxes.
Though the drawing was held on Christmas Eve, the woman didn’t realize she had won until Christmas morning.
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“I woke up around 4 a.m. and went to the computer to check the numbers,” the woman said. “I couldn’t believe it!”
After taxes, the woman will end up taking home $231,045.
When asked what she was planning on doing with her winnings, the woman said she wanted to “take a breath and think about it.”
Multi-Win Lotto is a Delaware-only game. Drawings are held at 7:57 p.m every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tickets may be purchased up to 7:30 p.m. on drawings days.
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Contact Jessica Bies at (302) 324-2881 or jbies@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @jessicajbies.