Heidi Leavitt
March 31, 2008, $100,000 Taxes Paid Scratchers - $1,000
Purchased ticket at Carniceria Puerto Del Toro, 2535 E. Bell Rd. #3, Phoenix, AZ 85032. Heidi has won small amounts before, but this is her first big win. She said, “I thought I’d take a chance on a game I’ve never played before. This is the first time I tried that Scratchers.” Heidi is unsure how she’ll use her winnings and said, “I’ll probably end up using my winnings to pay bills.”

Dino Kosta
March 31, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at QuikTrip, 816 W. University Dr., Mesa, AZ 85201. Dino is a loyal Lottery player who plays every game on each drawing. He was watching television and discovered he’d matched five numbers on The Pick for the $2,000 win. This is Dino’s biggest win, but he has also won smaller amounts. He plans on using his winnings to pay some bills.

Robert Ide
March 31, 2008, Wild 10’s Scratchers - $1,000
Purchased ticket at Circle K, 701 W. Union Hills Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85027. Robert wanted to purchase a Wild 10’s Scratchers ticket because he’s played the game before and liked it. He said, “I thought I won $500, and I was surprised to receive a claim form at the store.” He’s also won $1,000 playing Blazin’ Red Hot 7’s. Robert wants to save his winnings for his niece’s wedding in Dallas.

Julia Mesa
March 31, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Orange Food Store, 9409 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85020. Julia’s husband is the Scratchers player in the family, and she only plays them occasionally. She usually plays Powerball. She said, “At first, my husband and I thought I won $2,500, and I was happy because all my previous wins have been small. I didn’t know I’d won $10,000 until I came to the Lottery to redeem my ticket!” Julia works in a laundry, enjoys spending time with her family, and plans on sharing some of her winnings with her family.

Joyce Schueler
March 28, 2008, Diamond Dazzler 2X Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Safeway, 3185 W. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85220. Joyce said, “I like diamonds, so I’ve been purchasing and winning buying the Diamond Dazzler Scratchers. I also purchase The Pick and Powerball and have won small amounts on those, too. I just had to call my family right away to tell them the good news.” Joyce is retired and volunteers as a care-giver, does needlepoint and gardening, and wants to use her winnings to do some landscaping at her home.

Daniela Vargas
March 28, 2008, $500,000 Cash Bonanza Scratchers - $500,000 Purchased ticket at Circle K, 11502 W. Southern Ave., Tolleson, AZ 85353. Daniela’s husband purchased her winning $500,000 ticket. She said, “He’d bought it before and had faith in the game. I thought he was kidding at first, and then I was in shock and couldn’t believe it.” Daniela and her husband have won up to $10,000 on Crossword, but never this large an amount. She works as a cashier, loves spending time with her family, and will be paying bills with part of her winnings and investing the rest.

Larry Hann
March 27, 2008, One Word Crossword Scratchers - $18,000
Purchased ticket at Chevron, 5107 W. Buckeye Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85043. Larry said, “I was scratching my ticket at work during my lunch break, and it was really hard to believe I’d won $18,000 because my biggest win has been $5. My favorite games are Crossword Scratchers and Powerball.” Larry is a service manager at a tire store and enjoys raising racing pigeons. He plans on paying bills with some of his winnings and “celebrating a bit” with the rest.

Jeffrey Harris
March 27, 2008, $500,000 Cash Bonanza Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Bashas’, 10631 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85028. Jeffrey’s won $500 a few times playing Scratchers, but has never won this much before. He said, “I like playing $500,000 Cash Bonanza because the top prize is such a big payoff. I also enjoy playing The Pick and Powerball.” He is a self-employed salesperson, enjoys all kinds of spectator sports, and wants to invest his winnings.

Frank Cwick
March 26, 2008, Millionaire Raffle - $1,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at QuikTrip, 19815 N. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ 85024. Frank thought he hadn’t won anything since he didn’t win one of the million dollar prizes. He said, “I hadn’t heard anything about the Millionaire Raffle until my brother told me about it, which made me want to purchase a ticket. I held on to my ticket for awhile before I decided to check it to see if I won. I will definitely purchase a ticket when the next Millionaire Raffle begins.” Frank has no special plans for his winnings at this time.

Mary Jones
March 26, 2008,The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 20207 N. 59th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85308. Mary always uses the Lottery website to see if their tickets are winners. “My husband purchases our Lottery tickets and used the money from another win to purchase this winning ticket.” Mary and her husband have won small amounts before, but this is their biggest win. Mary said, “We plan to use the winnings for our kids to have some backyard fun.”

Charles Warren
March 26, 2008,The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Albertson’s Express, 16750 W. Bell Rd., Surprise, AZ 85374. Charles plays The Pick and Powerball twice a week and has won small amounts in Arizona and $2,000 in Washington’s Lottery. He said, “I used the self-check machine to see if I won, then I took the ticket to the store counter and then I came to the Lottery to redeem my ticket. I haven’t made a decision yet on how to use my prize money.”

Andrea Fraker
March 26, 2008, $500,000 Cash Bonanza Scratchers - $5,000
Purchased ticket at Circle K, 18610 N. 107th Ave., Peoria, AZ 85345. Andrea’s husband hadn’t purchased $500,000 Cash Bonanza Scratchers in awhile and decided to buy two because he and Andrea had good luck with the ticket. He gave one to Andrea. He won $500 on his and she won $5,000. She said, “We’re a team, so we consider that both of us won on both tickets.” They also won $1,200 in 1992 playing Lotto.

Phil Borders
March 25, 2008, $100,000 Taxes Paid Scratchers - $1,000
Purchased ticket at Easy Stop Convenience Store, 5430 N. 59th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85301. Phil is pretty lucky playing Scratchers. He’s won $100 on Blazin Red Hot 7’s and $200 on $100,000 Taxes Paid. He said, “I always play $100,000 Taxes Paid Scratchers. I scratched my ticket, knew I’d won, and then went back to the store to have them check.” Phil hasn’t decided what’s he’s going to do with his prize money yet.

James Lane
March 24, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Shell, 808 S. Priest Dr., Tempe, AZ 85281. James has been playing The Pick and Powerball since the Lottery began and has won up to $650 before. He said, “I almost didn’t purchase my usual tickets because the jackpots had been won recently, and I knew they’d be smaller. Luckily, I purchased the tickets anyway!” James has decided to pay bills and treat himself to a nice dinner with his winnings.

Anh Phan
March 24, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 9055 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85037. Anh said, “I always purchase The Pick and Powerball tickets, and I’ve won smaller amounts before, but I wasn’t sure how much I won when I had my ticket checked until I came into the Lottery to redeem my ticket.” Anh has no special plans for his winnings yet, but he considers his winnings “found money,” and we’re sure he’ll do something special.

Dave Castro
March 24, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Sparks Food Mart, 5124 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282. Dave didn’t realize he had a winning ticket in the batch he took to the store to have checked. He said, “I flew from Albuquerque to Arizona for a wedding, purchased Lottery tickets, went to Las Vegas for my parents’ anniversary, came back to Arizona to attend a meeting, and decided to check my tickets while I was here. I’ve never won this much before!” Dave decided to use part of his winning to purchase things he needs for his home and give the rest to charity.

Keith Shanks
March 21, 2008, Powerball - $10,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Danny’s Gourmet Market, 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Ste. 84, Phoenix, AZ 85050. Keith said, “I took my ticket to the store to be scanned. I was surprised because I had no idea I had a winning ticket! I don’t play Powerball that often, and my other wins have been small. Of course, I had to tell my family, girlfriend, and my boss.” Keith works on the Board of Medical Finance and enjoys golfing and spending time with his family. He wants to invest his winnings.

Maria Diaz
March 21, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at 7-Eleven, 1547 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014. Maria said, “I just play Scratchers, especially Crossword and Bingo, because I’ve played Crossword before and it takes longer to play. I had to have my family check my ticket because I thought I only matched 9 words. I’m excited about my win, and the timing is really good.” Maria works in home care, loves spending time with her family and wants to use some of her win to pay bills and put the rest in the bank.

Anette Peterson
March 21, 2008, Pick 5 - $93,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at QuikTrip, 8877 W. Thunderbird, Peoria, AZ 85381. Anette couldn’t believe that she’d matched all five numbers for the jackpot, so she checked her ticket using the numbers from the newspaper, the Lottery website, the hotline, and finally got the numbers from the retailer before she convinced herself that she’d won. She said, “My sister suggested I play Pick 5 because the jackpot was so high. If she hadn’t, I wouldn’t have played because I don’t play Pick 5 very often.” Anette will be taking a golfing vacation and then invest the rest of her winnings.

Charlotte Vernon
March 19, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Safeway, 1635 E. Cottonwood St., Cottonwood, AZ 86326. Charlotte was checking the numbers on her ticket when she discovered her $2,000 win. She said, “I’ve won a few large prizes and lots of small ones before, but I’ve never won an amount this big. The Pick is my favorite Lottery game to play.” Charlotte hasn’t decided what to do with her winnings and said, “There are lots of ways I could use it.”

Carolyn Rasmussen
March 18, 2008, Powerball - $10,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Safeway, 1855 N. Power Rd., Mesa, AZ 85207. Carolyn said, “First, I checked my ticket using the Lottery website, then I had it scanned at the store, where I received a claim form. I’ve won smaller prizes before, but never a prize this big. I’m happy with my win, and I enjoyed telling my family.” Carolyn is retired and enjoys sewing. She wants to purchase some items for her home and save the rest of her winnings.

John Dottl
March 17, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at River Stop, 13015 Golden Shores Parkway, Topock, AZ 86436. John enjoys purchasing Scratchers tickets and occasionally purchases Powerball, too. He said, “I especially like Crossword Scratchers because they’re easy to read and I like playing any kind of Crossword games.” He’s won up to $150 on Bingo and other Scratchers, but this is his biggest win. John is retired from the construction industry, enjoys all outdoor activities, and wants to pay bills with his winnings.

Russ Litchfield
March 17, 2008, Diamond Dazzler 2X Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 1575 N. Dysart Rd., Avondale, AZ 85323. Russ checked his ticket a few times before taking it to the store to be scanned. However, he didn’t know how much he’d won until he came to the Lottery to redeem his ticket. He said, “My family always purchases Scratchers as presents for family events, and I got one for my birthday. I also play Pick 5 and Powerball and have never won over $500 a few times.” Russ is an associate manufacturing engineer and will be using his winnings to restore an antique car.

Kenneth Thomas
March 17, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s, 1300 S. Watson Rd., Buckeye, AZ 85326. Kenneth’s no stranger to winning prizes playing lottery games. He won $1,200 playing Powerball in Wisconsin. He said, “This is my first time winning in Arizona. I wouldn’t have won if I hadn’t decided to play because of the big jackpot.” Kenneth discovered his win at the store while having his ticket checked. He’s decided to use his winnings to help pay some bills.

Rochelle Booth
March 17, 2008, The Pick - $2,001
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 49600 Hwy. 95, Parker, AZ 85344. Rochelle said, “This is the first time I’ve won anything playing The Pick. I don’t play it very often because my husband works in a casino, and we usually don’t gamble. My husband took the ticket to the store to be checked, and I got a call from him saying, ‘Hon! Guess what? We won!’” Rochelle and her husband haven’t decided what to do with their winnings yet.

Jeffrey Beem
March 17, 2008, Powerball - $200,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Albertson’s, 8454 S. Power Rd., Gilbert, AZ 85297. Jeffrey said, “I was excited about my win after I used the Lottery number checker to see if I won. I’ve won up to $50 on Scratchers before, but I’ve never won anything this big. I don’t purchase Lottery tickets very often unless the jackpots are high.” Jeffrey works in the computer industry and enjoys spending time with his family and watching hockey games. Jeffrey will be investing his winnings.

Jason Ramsey
March 14, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 1575 N. Dysart Rd., Avondale, AZ 85323. Jason has a system to choose the numbers he uses for his The Pick tickets. He said, “I sit for awhile and go through numbers and use the ones that I like.” Jason plays The Pick regularly and has won smaller amounts before. This is his largest win. Like many players, Jason discovered his $2,000 win at the store. Jason has no special plans for his win at this time.

Angelina Salgado
March 14, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s, 6601 W. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85033. Angelina said, “Usually, I don’t purchase Lottery tickets, but I was going to wait until my husband came home and then go out to get two of The Pick and two Powerball tickets. But, I decided to run out and get them before my husband came home.” Angela thought she’d won $600. She’s going to treat herself and her husband to a nice dinner and think about what to do with the rest of her winnings.

Russ Harpley
March 14, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s, 1100 Old Hwy 279A, Cottonwood, AZ 86326. Russ considers himself an infrequent Lottery player. He said, “My wife purchases two tickets a week, but I hadn’t been buying tickets very often until lately.” Russ checked his numbers on the Lottery website and said, “My previous wins have all been small until now. This is my biggest win.” He hasn’t decided yet what he’s going to do with winnings.

Joe Meier
March 14, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 6002 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85013. Joe only plays The Pick when the jackpot is over $10 million, and he said, “I almost had a heart attack when I checked my numbers through the Lottery hotline and knew I won $2,000. I’ve never won this much playing any Lottery game before.” Joe wants to use his winnings to pay for a vacation.

Robert Moore
March 14, 2008, Powerball -$10,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Safeway, 20 W. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop, AZ 85929. The only Lottery game Robert plays is Powerball. He said, “I wasn’t sure how much I’d won after I checked my numbers using the Lottery website. I didn’t believe I’d won $10,000 after I found out. My other wins have all been small.” Robert is retired and loves to travel all over the United States in his recreational vehicle. He will be using his winnings to pay for a previous trip.

Michael Diaz
March 13, 2008, Powerball - $10,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Mobil, 4115 N. 91st Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85037. Michael was surprised when he came to the Lottery to redeem his ticket. He said, “I had the clerk at the store check my ticket, and I had no idea that I won or how much I’d won until I came to the Lottery to claim it. I don’t purchase tickets all the time, just when I can afford it.” Michael works as an administrative clerk and enjoys spending free time with his family. He’s decided to put his winnings in the bank.

James Spitzmiller
March 13, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased ticket at Albertson’s, 2935 E. Riggs Rd., Chandler, AZ 85249. James is a big NASCAR fan. In fact, James chooses the numbers he uses for his The Pick ticket purchases from NASCAR car numbers. He said, “I knew I won $2,000 after checking my numbers in the newspaper. I’ve won smaller prizes before, but I’ve never won this much before.” James hasn’t decided exactly how to use his winnings yet, but he is thinking about purchasing golf clubs.

William Christensen
March 13, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s, 1900 E. University Dr., Mesa, AZ 85203. This is William’s second time matching five numbers on The Pick. He won $1,460 back in 1997. William said, “This is my biggest win. I found out I won $2,000 when I called to get the winning numbers. I try to purchase The Pick once a week, especially when the jackpot is high.” William’s winnings will be spent on a hotel and dinner to celebrate his anniversary.

Mary Garcia
March 12, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $2,500
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 10675 W. Indian School Rd., Avondale, AZ 85323. Mary said, “I love playing Scratchers games, especially Crossword and Bingo, because those games take longer to play. I thought I won $100 at first, but I still didn’t know how much I’d won until I came to the Lottery to redeem my ticket. I’ve won small amounts before, but this is my biggest win.” Mary has decided to take her family out to dinner with some of her winnings and save the rest to help pay her taxes.

Ken Hughes
March 12, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 2535 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004. Ken is a regular The Pick player. He said, “I play every week, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything. Hopefully, this will not be the most I win.” He checked his numbers using the Lottery website and discovered that he won $2,000. Ken, like many of our players, has decided to save his winnings.

Anthony Gentile
March 11, 2008, Pick 5 - $50,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Speedsmart, 1981 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler, AZ 85224. Anthony found out he won $50,000 at a friend’s house when his friend checked Anthony’s winning numbers on the computer. He said, “I was so excited that I called my family back East right away. I’ve won up to $500 before, but never an amount this big.” Anthony is a heavy equipment operator who considers himself a “jack of all trades”, especially when it comes to working around his house. He plans on using part of his winnings to pay bills and has decided to invest the rest.

Kathy Tassoul
March 10, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Renaissance Snacks and Gifts, 2 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85002. Kathy said, “I was taking a walk on my lunch hour, and there was a gift shop near where I was walking that sold Lottery tickets, so I decided to purchase a The Pick. Later, I double-checked my ticket on the website and at a Fry’s store where I had my ticket scanned.” She’s happy to be able to use her winnings to pay for lunch for her daughter’s guests at her upcoming wedding.

Jim Taravella
March 10, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 3077 S. Val Vista Dr., Gilbert, AZ 85296. Jim did something unusual when he went to purchase his regular Powerball tickets. He said, “I decided to purchase a The Pick ticket as well. I’ve never won anything playing the Lottery, so I decided to try something new.” He double-checked the paper after the drawing to make sure that he’d won. He’s decided to use his winnings to purchase something special for his children.

Mark Richardson
March 10, 2008, The Pick - $2,003
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Circle K, 939 W. Baseline Rd., Tempe, AZ 85283. Mark is a “regular” The Pick player because it’s the only Lottery game he plays. He said, “My wife was checking the Lottery website and kept telling me, ‘You matched one number, you matched two, numbers’…until we got to, ‘You matched four numbers!’ I couldn’t believe it when she reached five numbers, because I’ve never won that much before.” Mark will be saving his winnings.

Karen Whiting
March 10, 2008, $500,000 Cash Bonanza Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 1915 S. Power Rd., Mesa, AZ 85206. Karen stopped at the store and decided to purchase her weekly Scratchers ticket. She said, “I’d redeemed a $25 winner, and I like to try new Scratchers, so I bought Cash Bonanza, and I said, ‘It’s not real,’ and ‘Tell me I’m not dreaming” to my husband after I won.” Karen also plays The Pick and Powerball and has won up to $100 before. She is a homemaker and enjoys “all outdoor activities.” Karen plans on paying bills with some of her winnings and saving the rest.

Janet Grammer
March 10, 2008, $100,000 Taxes Paid Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at 7-Eleven, 8750 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe, AZ 85284. Janet purchases The Pick, Powerball, Scratchers and Pick 3 when she has a chance. She said, “I was in the store, and I decided to purchase the ticket on a whim. I took the ticket home, scratched it, knew I’d won, and took it right back to the store to be checked.” Janet works taking emergency calls and enjoys reading and cooking in her free time. She wants to use her winnings to pay bills.

Gloria Reinel
March 7, 2007, Blingo Bingo Scratchers - $50,000 Purchased ticket at Circle K, 2360 W. Broadway Ave., Apache Junction, AZ 85220. Gloria said, “My daughters and I were so excited when we came to the Lottery to redeem my Scratchers! I haven’t won this much since winning $1,300 in Ohio. I wanted to purchase Blingo Bingo because I liked the flashy look of the ticket, and it looked like a winner.” Gloria works as a security officer and enjoys working with stained glass and relaxing in her spare time. She said, “I haven’t decided what to do with my winnings yet.”

Armando Gonzalez
March 7, 2007, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s Marketplace, 3511 W. Peoria Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85029. Armando considers himself a “regular” player of The Pick and Powerball. He said, “I watched the T.V. to get the winning numbers, and then I checked again in the newspaper and knew I won $2,000. I’ve also won up to $50 before. I especially like playing The Pick because it’s played just in Arizona.” Armando would like to use his winnings to pay bills.

Bill Carlson
March 7, 2007, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased ticket at Liberty Fuel, 1201 N. 59th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85043. Bill is no stranger at winning on The Pick. He’s won $2,000 a few times before. He said, “I choose my own numbers from a variety of sources. Two are numbers I consider ‘lucky’, one is totally random, and the others are chosen from my children’s and other family members’ birthdates.” Bill’s son is the one who discovered his $2,000 win by calling the Lottery office for the numbers. Bill has no immediate plans for his winnings other than to deposit them in the bank.

Michael Miele
March 7, 2008, The Pick - $2,001
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 1915 S. Power Rd., Mesa, AZ 85206. Michael has been playing The Pick using the same numbers for quite a while. He said, “I choose the numbers I use from family birthdates. I checked the website and realized how much I’d won.” This is not Michael’s first win, but it is his biggest. He’s won $500 a few times. He wants to use his winnings to have his palm trees trimmed and help purchase a new heater for his home.

Ernestina Gutierrez
March 6, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Circle K, 630 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85040. Ernestina thought she’d won $2,500 until her daughter checked the ticket and found the tenth word. She said, “I felt shaky because I’ve never won this much. I told my whole family, and some of them play Crossword Scratchers, and this will give them hope that they will win, too.” Ernestina works in manufacturing and enjoys going to the movies and relaxing at home with her family. She wants to put her winnings in the bank for now until her husband decides if he wants a flat-screen T.V.

Bryan McNutt
March 6, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s, 10675 W. Indian School Rd., Avondale, AZ 85323. Bryan has won smaller amounts, but this is his biggest win. He said, “My wife suggested I purchase a The Pick ticket because the jackpot was high. Usually I just purchase Powerball. I was surprised to win $2,000, and my wife said, ‘Happy Anniversary!’ when I told her.” He will use some of his winnings to celebrate his anniversary March 13, and use the rest to buy his wife a gift.

James Dowden
March 6, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Chevron Food Mart, 6347 E. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85254. James said, “I purchase 20 or more Scratchers at a time because when I want to relax at the office, I grab a cup of coffee and scratch tickets. I consider the game educational.” He’s won $500 on Pick 5 and smaller amounts, but this is his largest win. He’s using part of his winnings for a trip to Las Vegas to play in a blackjack tournament, and he wants to save the rest.

Jon Peltier
March 6, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Fry’s, 1575 N. Dysart Rd., Avondale, AZ 85323. Jon regularly plays The Pick and also plays Powerball when the jackpot gets big. He said, “I took my ticket to the store to be checked, and I was surprised that I had to come to the Lottery to redeem my ticket because I thought I only won $3. This is my biggest win!” Jon hasn’t decided what’s he’s going to do with his winnings yet. He said, “I’m just going to put them in the bank for now.”

Abel Llamas
March 6, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at QuikTrip, 9910 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85034. Abel is a dedicated The Pick player who purchases several tickets at a time. He has won smaller amounts before, but this is his biggest win. He said, “I found out I won at the store, but the clerk and I didn’t know how much I’d won. The clerk told me I’d have to come to the Lottery to redeem my ticket.” Abel plans on paying bills with his winnings.

Rebecca Alvarado and Rosemary Denogean
March 6, 2008, Powerball - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Circle K, 2760 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85204. Rebecca and Rosemary are part of a Lottery pool of five people at work who put in $2 each, and Rosemary bought the tickets. They said that this was the first time they had decided to play together. At first, no one in the Lottery pool believed Rosemary when she told them that they had won $10,000. They all say that they will continue to play and will consider purchasing the Power Play option next time.

Victoria Cooksey
March 4, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $10,000
Purchased ticket at Kwik Mart, 8001 E. Roosevelt St., Scottsdale, AZ 85257. Victoria thought she’d won $500 at first until her friend checked the ticket and told her to get it scanned at the retailer. She said, “I was shocked and thrilled at my win. I’ve told everyone I know. I enjoy playing Scratchers because you get your money’s worth!” She’s won up to $5,000 on Scratchers before. Victoria is a bus driver who is a NASCAR fan and also enjoys relaxing in her free time. She has no definite plans for her winnings, so she’s decided to put them in the bank.

Jerry Rich
March 4, 2008, Wild 10’s Scratchers - $100,000
Purchased ticket at Safeway, 1225 W. Guadalupe Rd., Mesa, AZ 85202. Jerry didn’t realize that he’d won $100,000. He said, “I thought I’d just win enough for the price of the ticket and gas money. I kept scratching, and when I discovered the $100,000 win, I had the clerk and assistant manager at the store check the ticket, too. I told my kids as soon as I got home.” Jerry works as a technician and enjoys being with his family and relaxing. He wants to spend his winnings on his children.

Santiago Ardito, Sr.
March 3, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased ticket at Circle K, 1145 W. Main St., Mesa, AZ 85201. Santiago plays The Pick twice a week, and this is his first big win. He said, “I choose my own numbers using my children’s birthdates and important events in my and my children’s lives.” He had his daughter check his ticket to make sure he’d won. He plans on sharing part of his winnings with his family and saving the rest.

Robert Medema
March 3, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 1845 E. Baseline Rd., Gilbert, AZ 85234. Robert has never won a prize playing any Lottery game before. He said, “I choose my own numbers based on ‘gut’ instinct. I decided to risk it and spend $5, hoping that I would walk away with a winner. It was cool winning $2,000, but I was only one number away from winning the jackpot.” He plans on paying bills with his winnings.

William Taylor
March 3, 2008, The Pick - $2,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Rob’s Convenience, 49237 W. Papago Rd., Maricopa, AZ 85239. William said, “I usually forget to purchase tickets, and I only purchase them when I have the money.” He was happy when Safeway told him he would have to come to the Lottery to claim his winnings. William has won smaller amounts before, but this is his biggest win. He plans to use part of his winnings for a nice dinner.

David Pittman, Jr.
March 3, 2008, Crossword Scratchers - $2,500
Purchased ticket at Albertson’s, 5040 W. Cactus Rd., Glendale, AZ 85304. David did not discover how much he had won until the store told him that he had to go to the Lottery office to redeem his ticket. He said, “I like playing Scratchers, especially Crossword and Bingo.” This isn’t David’s first win, but it is his largest. He’s won up to $1,000 before. David has no specific plans for the winnings, but said, “My wife has plans for it!”

Jim Ownsby
March 3, 2008, Blazin’ Red Hot Numbers Scratchers - $7,777
Purchased ticket at Fry’s, 2115 U.S. Hwy. 60, Ste. 200, Miami, AZ 85539. Jim said, “My family was more excited that I won $7,777 than I was, because buying the ticket was just an impulse purchase. I haven’t won this much since winning $600 on Lotto several years ago.” Jim usually purchases Scratchers, but he also plays The Pick and Powerball. He works as a security officer, loves making stone and metal jewelry, and competitive pistol shooting. Jim wants to “put his winnings in the bank for a rainy day.”

Jogi Gautama
March 3, 2008, Powerball with Power Play - $40,000
Purchased Quick Pick ticket at Yogie’s Market, 610 Dunlap Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021. Jogi thought he’d matched three numbers playing Powerball. He said, “I discovered that I’d matched four numbers and the Powerball after I took my ticket to the store and they thought I’d won $400, until the claim form came out of the machine! This is my biggest win since I won $700 on Lotto several years ago.” He is self-employed and loves driving sports cars and traveling overseas once a year. Jogi will be using his winnings for a vacation and to help pay his son’s college expenses.