FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Wednesday, April 21, 2009

 

CONTACT: David Workman         

(208) 334-2600

                                

Pocatello Man Celebrates 21st Birthday with $27,000 Lottery Win

 

Boise – Maybe some people are born under a lucky star.   Well, at least Antonio Hernandez might be.  The long-time Pocatello resident received a Lucky Stars Cashword Lottery ticket from his future brother-in-law as a present for his 21^st birthday that turned out to be a $27,000 winner.  Happy Birthday Antonio Hernandez from the Idaho Lottery!

 

“It was a great gift because I’m always teasing that I’m going to win the big one,” joked Hernandez as he stood shaking in the Idaho Lottery’s Winners Lobby holding his winning check. “Wow, I don’t really believe it. I really won the big one.”

 

At first, Hernandez thought he had only won $4.  Then he started to count more winning words until he reached ten – the maximum a player can match and worth the game’s top prize of $27,000. “As I counted more words, I knew I’d won more but only thought I’d won $1,000. Then I counted it again and I saw the tenth word.  I’m in shock,” said Hernandez who celebrated his 21^st birthday at Idaho Lottery Headquarters Tuesday afternoon collecting his winning check.

 

Hernandez’s future brother-in-law Aaron bought the birthday gift and winning ticket from a new vending machine at the Fred Meyer on Yellowstone Avenue in Pocatello. For their part in selling the winning ticket, Fred Meyer receives a bonus of slightly more than $3,200.

 

To thank his future brother-in-law, Hernandez was planning on buying him an older model Volkswagen car the two can refurbish together.  As for his remaining winnings, Hernandez already has plans for his lucky bride-to-be, Aaron’s sister.

 

“We’ve been talking about getting married later this year,” hinted Hernandez’s fiancée Alyssa who joined him at Lottery Headquarters.  “I’m hoping for a September wedding.”

 

“I think this will be enough to start us out right and we can get married now,” added Hernandez with a smile.

 

Yep, lucky stars all the way around.

 

ADDITIONAL EASTERN IDAHO WINNER

 

Leslie Argyle of Idaho Falls had a “rockin’ good time” Monday, April 20, 2009 when he claimed an $11,000 prize winner on the Idaho Lottery’s Amped on Cash – the Scratch^TM ticket that jams!  Argyle bought his winning ticket at the Yellowstone Chevron in Idaho Falls.  Amped on Cash was last year’s Collegiate Scratch^TM Ticket Design Contest winner from Lewis Clark State College student Trevor Nesbitt.

 

PHOTOS OF BOTH WINNERS ARE AVAILABLE.

 

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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY

The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Scratch™ tickets, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since it’s inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold more than $1.7 billion in products, awarded over $1 billion in prizes to players, returned more than $100 million in retail commissions, and distributed more than $402 million in Lottery dividends to state public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.