Boise – Sometimes, play can’t wait. And while “Play Can’t Wait” is a new ad campaign from the Idaho Lottery to help celebrate their 20th Anniversary, Angela Burt of Hailey became this motto’s embodiment late last week when she scratched a winning 20th Anniversary Scratch ticket from the Idaho Lottery worth $200,000.
Burt bought her ticket from Guffy’s in Bellevue where she also works as a store clerk. “Yeah, I guess play can’t wait,” laughed Burt who never scratches the prizes until she knows the ticket is a winner. “It was the last ticket in the dispenser. I just felt the urge to buy the ticket and play it.”
At the very top of her ticket, she matched two top hats. Knowing she had won a prize of some kind, Burt continued to scratch the rest of the play area, unaware she’d already won the game’s top prize of $200,000. Once she reached the bottom of her ticket, she then reversed her tracks and began scratching off the prize amounts. When she finally reached the beginning of the 12-inch, shiny, holographic ticket, she revealed the game’s top prize.
“I didn’t believe it,” said Burt, a single mother of two who quickly signed the back of her ticket to secure her big win. “My heart was racing. I couldn’t sleep all night long.”
Big winners are no stranger for Martin and Sandy Chandler, the owners of Guffy’s in Bellevue. In June 2005, Fred Anderson won $100,000 on Powerball and in October 2006, Sherie Taylor won $10,000 on Hot Tamales. This win, however, was especially wonderful.
“Angela is a sweetheart. It’s really nice to see someone win who can really use the money,” said Martin who’s owned the store for 10 years. “I’m just tickled and thrilled to death for her. It’s nice to hear good news for one of our local residents.”
For the store’s part in having sold the winning ticket, Guffy’s will receive a bonus from the Idaho Lottery of $20,000. “This is good for Guffy’s and good for the Lottery because someone from around here won,” added Martin. “It’s already been good for business. I’ve even had some folks drive up here from Utah to buy tickets since they heard we had a big winner.”
Burt claimed her winning prize in Boise late on Friday afternoon. Having recently returned to Idaho to be close to family, Burt was planning on buying a new car for herself and putting enough money away for her two daughters to have college funds. Any amount that was left over she planned to invest.
Not too surprising, Burt claimed her big win on the Idaho Lottery’s 20th Anniversary Game exactly four months to the day before the Lottery turns twenty years old this summer. The 20th Anniversary Scratch game went on sale on February 23, 2009 and is one of the Lottery’s top games this year.
