BOISE, Idaho ÔÇô Three weeks after the August 17, 2010 Mega Millions draw that produced a $250,000 winning ticket from Rathdrum, Allen York arrived in Boise at Idaho Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. York was unaware there was even a big winner from northern Idaho until several days after the draw when he finally stopped in his local store, Korner Stop.

"I had just been carrying my tickets around in my wallet," confessed York, a veteran truck driver from Rathdrum. "So, they checked it, told me I was the big winner, and then I left and went straight back to work. I thought they were joking with me!"

After the store made him sign the ticket, York left it in Rathdrum with his wife who kept it in the night stand. "There were a lot of sleepless nights," admitted Teresa York. "I just know now that when the snow flies, Allen's going to take me some place warm this winter."

After hearing several news accounts of the Idaho Lottery's efforts to locate the winner from Rathdrum, Teresa said they did not tell anyone they were the winners, except their family in the area. "It was fun knowing you were the winners and nobody else did," added Teresa.

For their part in selling the winning ticket, Korner Stop in Rathdrum received a $20,000 bonus from the Idaho Lottery.

The York's plan to pay off some bills and Allen is going to buy a new trailer for his business with his winnings. "It does help set us up nicely to start looking at retirement," he said.

Immediately upon leaving Lottery headquarters in Boise, the York's departed for an undisclosed vacation spot somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. York becomes the first Idaho Lottery player to claim a quarter-of-a-million dollars on Mega Millions since the game debuted in late January. One Mega Millions ticket worth $250,000 sold in Coeur d'Alene in April remains unclaimed.

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