(September 5, 2008)—Merri Zilka of Waco, who purchased the only winning ticket for the $30 million Aug. 27 Lotto Texas drawing, didn’t realize until a store clerk pointed it out that she had chosen the six winning numbers.
She had checked her ticket online, but said the numbers on the lottery’s Web site didn’t match the ones on the ticket she was looking at.
Then on Sunday, she dropped in at the store where she purchased the ticket and decided to double-check her recent selections.
And that’s when a store clerk at the E Z Stop at 3730 N. 19th St. pointed out that she had picked the six winners.
That’s when she realized she had been looking at the wrong ticket all along.
“God just answered my prayers, it’s that simple,” Zilka said.
She said she went home and told her husband of 40 years to ask for the day off Tuesday so the couple could drive to Austin to claim the prize.
The cash value option prize was $19,433,607.40 before taxes.
“We’ve been sharing the load,” Zilka said. “One of us would stay calm while the other would go berserk.”
Zilka said she plans to donate a portion of the winnings to local charities.
She also plans to buy a house and set up investments for retirement and her grandchildren’s education.
Texas Lottery Web Site
Save
Email
Print
11 comments
Terms of Use -
Privacy Policy -
EEO Statement
-
FCC Form 388