Kimberly Bester-Melanson of Trout Creek is celebrating after winning the $250,000 top prize with INSTANT CROSSWORD DELUXE.
“I enjoy playing INSTANT CROSSWORD games, ”she said while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto where she picked up her winnings. “When INSTANT CROSSWORD DELUXE came out I had to give it a try and right away I loved it!”
Kimberly took her ticket home before she scratched it.
“I like to take my tickets home where I can relax and play with a cup of coffee or a little chocolate treat. I could see pretty quickly that this ticket was a winner. I couldn’t tell how much I won though. I thought maybe $100 or at most, $25,000. I didn’t want to get my hopes up but I had to find out.”
She raced back to the store and asked the retailer to validate her ticket.
“The terminal shut down. I had no idea what was happening but I figured it had to be higher than $100. Then OLG called the store and my validation slip was printed. I saw my $250,000 win on the screen and on the slip. I was in shock!”
Her first stop was her daughter’s place.
“I asked her, ‘How much do you owe on your student loan?’ She asked, ‘Why?’ That’s when I said, ‘I won the lottery and I will pay it off.’ My daughter was overwhelmed, tearful and thankful. I didn’t want her to get too excited because she is expecting her first baby – a little girl who is due in two months.”
Other plans are also underway for Kimberly’s windfall.
“My son recently bought a truck and that will be fully paid off too. As for me, I can’t wait to get a new car. I will give my current vehicle to my daughter so she has an easy way to get around with the baby. Winning the lottery feels like a dream. I’m so happy,” smiled Kimberly.
INSTANT CROSSWORD DELUXE is available for $10 a play and the top prize is $250,000. Odds of winning a prize are 1 in 3.48.
The winning ticket was purchased at Trout Creek General Store on Main Street in Trout Creek.
