34-year lottery quest finally pays off

Aug 11, 2006, 9:39 pm (12 comments)

Michigan Lottery

A Michigan woman who has been playing the lottery since 1972 won $400,000 by purchasing 80 $1 tickets, all with the same number that represents her late husband's birthday.

Lidia Gutierrez, 63, is a regular customer at Wally's Mini Mart in Pontiac. On July 27, she bought 80 $1 tickets with the winning number 2123 for the Michigan Lottery's Daily 4 evening drawing. Each ticket is worth $5,000.

"She was very excited," store owner Wally Kinaia told The Oakland Press.

There was no telephone listing for Gutierrez in Pontiac, and telephone calls Thursday to others with the same last name did not locate her.

Kinaia and his wife, Nidhal, have owned Wally's for seven years and said Gutierrez's win was lucky for them, too. They received $10,000 for selling winning tickets to Gutierrez and another customer who won $20,000 last week.

Regular customer Janice Broadnax, who bought a ticket Wednesday, said it was "an inspiration" to hear about Gutierrez's win.

"I'm not as big a player as some though," she said. "Now, we know there are winners in this area. It keeps up hope."

Gutierrez has been playing 2123 — the date and year of her husband's birth — nearly every day since the lottery began in 1972, Michigan Lottery spokeswoman Andrea Brancato said.

Kinaia said other people also buy multiple tickets with the same number.

"We have people who play 50 on one number, 60," he said. Gutierrez had won smaller prizes before, Brancato said.

"Her wagers always varied. She'd play as little as $1 on some days, but when she went to the party store from which she always makes her lottery purchases," Brancato said, "she had a hunch and put the $80 down on her favorite number."

All the lottery's net income goes to Michigan's public schools.

AP

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RJOh's avatarRJOh

52 wk/yr x 6 day/wk x $80/day x 34 yrs = $848,640

I hope she hasn't being buying $80 worth of tickets per day since 1972, else she's still in the hole.

bellyache's avatarbellyache

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Aug 11, 2006

52 wk/yr x 6 day/wk x $80/day x 34 yrs = $848,640

I hope she hasn't being buying $80 worth of tickets per day since 1972, else she's still in the hole.

That's what I thought too. Hopefully she didn't play $80 dollars everyday. That way she won't be in the hole.

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

"Her wagers always varied. She'd play as little as $1 on some days, but when she went to the party store from which she always makes her lottery purchases," Brancato said, "she had a hunch and put the $80 down on her favorite number."

Doesn't appear that way. She just hit it right this time.  Would have been almost tragic if she bet only a dollar.

bellyache's avatarbellyache

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Aug 12, 2006

"Her wagers always varied. She'd play as little as $1 on some days, but when she went to the party store from which she always makes her lottery purchases," Brancato said, "she had a hunch and put the $80 down on her favorite number."

Doesn't appear that way. She just hit it right this time.  Would have been almost tragic if she bet only a dollar.

I guess I should have read the article better. I missed that. At least her hunch paid off. It was obviously worth it.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Aug 12, 2006

"Her wagers always varied. She'd play as little as $1 on some days, but when she went to the party store from which she always makes her lottery purchases," Brancato said, "she had a hunch and put the $80 down on her favorite number."

Doesn't appear that way. She just hit it right this time.  Would have been almost tragic if she bet only a dollar.

I like your use of the word "tragic".  Yes, indeed, that would be true tragedy if she only bet $1 on that day.  However, it is poetic justice that she bet $80. Yes Nod

Jani Norman's avatarJani Norman

Kinaia and his wife, Nidhal, have owned Wally's for seven years and said Gutierrez's win was lucky for them, too. They received $10,000 for selling winning tickets to Gutierrez and another customer who won $20,000 last week.

 


I didn't realize that the stores get paid an amount for regular winning tickets like pick 3 pick 4.....What?

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by Jani Norman on Aug 12, 2006

Kinaia and his wife, Nidhal, have owned Wally's for seven years and said Gutierrez's win was lucky for them, too. They received $10,000 for selling winning tickets to Gutierrez and another customer who won $20,000 last week.

 


I didn't realize that the stores get paid an amount for regular winning tickets like pick 3 pick 4.....What?

In many states stores get a percentage of prizes over a certain amount, regardless of which game it was.  Most people hear about stores getting percentages of jackpot game prizes, because it is rare for a Pick 4 win to get this much money.

fja's avatarfja

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Aug 11, 2006

52 wk/yr x 6 day/wk x $80/day x 34 yrs = $848,640

I hope she hasn't being buying $80 worth of tickets per day since 1972, else she's still in the hole.

an average of less than $37.60 a day puts her in the profit column, not by much though!

(based on no hits until now...)

vastine28

She's a happy woman !!   If she plays like most of us -- she probably play and win throughout the year on a smaller scale (of course) but this was her "main" number that she put "MONEY" down on occasion.

Be blessed ....

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Aug 12, 2006

"Her wagers always varied. She'd play as little as $1 on some days, but when she went to the party store from which she always makes her lottery purchases," Brancato said, "she had a hunch and put the $80 down on her favorite number."

Doesn't appear that way. She just hit it right this time.  Would have been almost tragic if she bet only a dollar.


QUICK-PICK$$$$

would have beennnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quicker......."Like the BUNNY"$$$$$

LOL

PSYKOMO 

noahproblem

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Aug 12, 2006

I like your use of the word "tragic".  Yes, indeed, that would be true tragedy if she only bet $1 on that day.  However, it is poetic justice that she bet $80. Yes Nod

No, the really true tragedy would have been if that day had been one of the rare ones where she didn't play at all...

Best of luck to her Thumbs Up

konane's avatarkonane

Congratulations to her!!!  Banana  Party  Banana

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