Secrets are difficult to keep, especially when it is as big as $10,000. Alfred Pepmeier was simply dying to be able to open his mouth and shout out loud that he had just won the lottery. He won playing the “Triple Fortune” scratch game, but he wanted to keep it to himself until he claimed his prize. He could have told everyone he knew but then he wasn’t even sure if the win was for real or only a dream.

Alfred Pepmeier, 86, said he scratched the ticket at Day Break, 102 Highway 30 in Wheatland right after purchasing it and couldn’t believe his eyes. Lottery winning numbers

“I saw the 10 and I thought, ‘Oh good, I got $10,’” Pepmeier said. “And then the three zeros came up behind it!”

There was one person however who did know of Pepmeier’s win and it was his son, whom he shared the good news with. However he made him swear that he would tell no one until he claimed his prize and his money was safely in his bank account before celebrating and making it public.

“It wasn’t easy!” Pepmeier said.

Pepmeier confessed that he didn’t get much sleep the night before claiming his prize, it was one of those nights when you simply toss and turn and there is this excitement and surprise building inside you. In fact he was so surprised that although he knew he had won, he would still check his ticket over and over again. It was simply surreal.

“It makes you think and you also pick it up and look at it a few times to make sure you really won,” he said.

As for the extra money, Pepmeier is taking it easy he hasn’t made any plans for his money yet. He is still pondering about his options.

“I never figured I’d win!” he said. “But I’m too old not to use it.”

Now the only concern will be finding a way to spend his windfall happily now that he does not need to hold on to the secret.