FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Friday, September 19, 2008

 

CONTACT: David Workman

 (208) 334-2600

dworkman@lottery.idaho.gov

 

Retired Utah Couple wins $100,000 on Deal or No Deal^TM, Idaho Lottery awards over $260,000 this week

 

Boise – Jennifer Thompson and her husband Charles, a retired Hill Air Force Base couple, were just looking for something different to do the other evening and decided they would take a scenic drive from their home in Layton, Utah up to Malad in Idaho and play some Idaho Lottery scratch tickets at the Top Stop Chevron.  

 

“We started buying tickets, one or two of each, just for some fun,” described Jennifer. “I scratched the Deal or No Deal ticket right there in the store and couldn’t believe what I saw.”

 

Thompson was holding a $100,000 top prize winner on Deal or No Deal^TM the Scratch^TM game from the Idaho Lottery. Convinced she had done something wrong Thompson called her husband over to confirm she had a “Deal” on the ticket. 

 

“I checked it, and checked it, and checked it,” explained Charles. “Oh man, it looked like the winner so I ran to the clerk to have her check it. All this music and cheering started up from the Lottery machine and everyone in the store started to applaud.”

 

After state and federal taxes, the Thompsons took home $67,200. They plan to pay off some bills, have a fancy dinner with champagne and invest the rest.  Of course, Charles did admit he might buy one of his sons a small fishing boat.

 

For their part in selling the winning ticket, Top Stop in Malad earned a $12,000 bonus from the Idaho Lottery.

 

Since last Friday, September 12, 2008, the Idaho Lottery has awarded over $260,000 in large prizes.  In addition to the Thompsons, Carrie Mulligan of New Plymouth won $100,000 on World Poker Tour^TM, Reyes Lopez of Mountain Home won $20,000 on Wild Card, James Hughes of Caldwell won $12,000 on 6 Times the Money, Eddie Tarsha of Boise won $10,000 on Wild 10’s, James Yon of Filer and James Peters of Clarkston, Washington each won $10,000 on Powerball.

 

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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY

The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Scratch™ tickets, and PullTab games with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and buildings. Since it’s inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has distributed more than $402 million in Lottery dividends to state public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.