Texas woman wins lottery millions second time

Apr 8, 2006, 9:39 am (9 comments)

Texas Lottery

Joan Ginther is a lucky woman indeed.

Not only was she the proud recipient of a $5.4 million jackpot prize from Lotto Texas drawing in July 1993, but Thursday she met with the Texas Lottery Commission in Austin to claim another $2 million in prize money.

Ginther, a former Bishop resident who visits the city frequently to care for her father, bought a Holiday Millionaire scratch-off ticket for $30 at the Diamond Shamrock at 525 S. 14th St. in Kingsville. She lives in Las Vegas, according to her former neighbor, Steve Vaughn.

In 1993, Ginther, 59, opted for annual payments of $270,000 (excluding tax charges) for 19 years after her first win on a ticket bought in Bishop. This time she requested a lump sum payment of about $1.5 million, after the 25 percent taken by the commission for taxes.

Ginther couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

The overall odds of winning with the Holiday Millionaire ticket, including break-even prizes, are 1 in 2.17, according to Texas Lottery Commission officials. The odds of winning twice — well that's a little harder to figure.

"Only a couple people buy those ones every week — they're so expensive," said Lisa Rose, the assistant manager at the Diamond Shamrock. "The Break the Bank for $2 is the more popular one."Though she doesn't remember selling the winning ticket to Ginther, Rose says she already has started telling people the store sold the winning ticket.

"The most I remember selling was a winner for $500 on another scratch-off ticket, but lucky her and I hope she spends it wisely," Rose said.

The store's owner is eligible to receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Lottery officials said one $2 million winning Holiday Millionaire ticket remains unclaimed.

Caller-Times

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RJOh's avatarRJOh

A $30 scratch-off ticket, Texas really do believe in doing things BIG.

CASH Only

Lotto TX did not have a cash option in 1993. Once again the media gets it wrong.

LOTTOMIKE's avatarLOTTOMIKE

she is one of the lucky few who have won big twice.....

tntea's avatartntea

Wow.. $30 scratch off.. NOT me

DoubleDown

Man !! 

I can't win once ----  she did it twice !!

Some people really do have a horseshoe up their _ _ _ !!!

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

I'm happy for her. Wow! But the reason I don't like to read articles like this one is they almost make you feel like spending $30 is going to improve your chances of hitting a big one.  Obviously, the more tickets you purchase, the better your chances of winning will be, but if I had $30 to spend on tickets, I'd probably buy 30 Lotto tickets instead of one scratch ticket. I've seen a lot of people at the supermarket purchase 10 or more of the $20 scratch tickets. We have no idea how many of those tickets she bought. She could have purchased several of them before she scratched off the winner

BTW, people are always asking if you win the lottery will you continue to play....well here's one answer! Why not? She has $279,000 a year to blow. 

SassyOhio's avatarSassyOhio

That is just like Donna Goeppert's, I keep her article from a magazine at my desk at work for INSPIRATION. She hit a Blockbuster Million Dollar WInnner back in Jan then turn around and scratched the SAME kind of ticket in June and Hit ANOTHER MILL. I  agree makes ya ILL when ya say OK I cant even hit once lol and they got it twice ??? WHAT THE HAY!!!  Lol But it does inspire me that if people can do it twiced there has to be my JUST ONCE out there somewhere Dance

golotto

I absolutely, positively love articles like this one.

Multiple lotto winners make me smile Yes Nod and, once again, clearly show that as far as the lottery is concerned (any lottery game for that matter) ... anything is possible ... anytime you play!

  Disney   "good luck to all"

SassyOhio's avatarSassyOhio

I'm happy for her. Wow! But the reason I don't like to read articles like this one is they almost make you feel like spending $30 is going to improve your chances of hitting a big one.  Obviously, the more tickets you purchase, the better your chances of winning will be, but if I had $30 to spend on tickets, I'd probably buy 30 Lotto tickets instead of one scratch ticket. I've seen a lot of people at the supermarket purchase 10 or more of the $20 scratch tickets. We have no idea how many of those tickets she bought. She could have purchased several of them before she scratched off the winner

BTW, people are always asking if you win the lottery will you continue to play....well here's one answer! Why not? She has $279,000 a year to blow. 

I am with ya there justxploring ... there are a few people in our neighborhood that FIGHT TO THE END to get the books of the 200 cash spect which are 10.00 tickets and up to 1 mill winner at a time  there are 14 mill dollar hitters out there and these ladies buy their  tickets by the book (500.00 a pop )  and yeah the get some 200.  and 500.  and  this one ladie even has hit 4 of the 1,000 hitters but after talking to the clerk in the store she blows that getting those ya know so seems to me she is just weeding her way through it the big question is if your luck doesnt give ya at least the money back that you put into them which 95 percent of the time it doesnt  you just have to pray for luck to be on your side like this ladies, The paper advertise about these people that YEAH THEY HIT BIG  but the REAL question is how much money have they spent to get there ya know, GRANTED  if you get the BIG WIN on one its all worth its wild as long as you still have your responsibilities taken care of.  I fortunatly tried their method twice and was fortunate enough to get my money back but I didnt earn a single dollar. And that is just on a 10.00  I could NEVER imagine a 30.00 ticket !!!!  When you get that deep I would just rather multiply my chances on a Jackpot drawing when it get to that level But some people believe in the scratch off more for their fortune becuase we all  know there is no GUARENTEED WINNER in the drawings But there are in the scratch off's so its kind of BlindCatch 20 20

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