BOISE, Idaho ÔÇô Christmas arrived in mid-February for Stephanie Lambertsen of New Plymouth with a surprise present of $200,000 on the Idaho Lottery's Christmas Countdown Scratch GameTM.

Lambertsen visited her regular store, the EZ Mart in New Plymouth, looking to buy the brand new 25th Anniversary Scratch Game. Lambertsen was told that the game would arrive later in the day so instead of leaving and coming back she reluctantly bought a Christmas Countdown scratch ticket.

"I took it home and played the ticket there. At first I thought I'd only won $2,000, but then I kept looking at it and, well, that's when I freaked out," exclaimed Lambertsen when she realized she was holding the $200,000 winner.

Lambertsen, who works at the Walmart in Ontario, Oregon, says her family plans to save the winnings and possibly complete a few things around the house. For their part in selling the winning ticket, EZ Mart in New Plymouth receives a $20,000 bonus from the Idaho Lottery. This was the last top prize on Christmas Countdown and it officially ends that game.

After receiving her check for $200,000, Lambertsen was still determined to buy one of the new 25th Anniversary scratch tickets. She was finally successful when she bought her first from the vending machine located in the main lobby at the Lottery Offices in Boise.

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