Woman's winning lottery ticket rescued from trash by brother

Dec 19, 2018, 11:25 am (38 comments)

Montana Lottery

A Montana woman said a $50,000 winning lottery ticket she intended to throw away was rescued by her brother.

Virginia Busko-Gewald told Montana Lottery officials she was inspired by her brother's lottery-playing hobby to pick up a lottery ticket at the Great Falls Albertsons. Even though her brother plays regularly, she didn't even know what game to play, so she bought the first game the clerk recommended: Powerball. 

"I don't take it serious," Busko-Gewald said. "It's just fun!"

After the drawing Wednesday night, Busko-Gewald saw that she matched five numbers, but didn't think she won anything. She almost tossed the ticket in the garbage, but decided to let her brother check it first. 

Sure enough, Busko told his sister she had won $50,000. Busko-Gewald couldn't believe it. She kept telling herself it was $5,000 because she just couldn't believe it was $50,000.

Busko-Gewald said she plans to pay some bills and visit her nephew in Korea and her niece in New York.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Another good "early Christmas present" story.....Gotta like it Thumbs Up

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Party Cheers to the First Time Player! Party

music*'s avatarmusic*

Virginia Busko-Gewald must have matched 4 numbers plus the Power Ball. That pays $50,000.00

 If she had matched five numbers and not the Power Ball number she would have won $1,000,000.00

 I agree that there is something to do with beginner's luck. Spooky White Bounce

Ziopic$'s avatarZiopic$

I just bought some tickets at the store and I am throwing them in the trash before I check them= It worked for this lucky lady.===

here they go--------------boom

noise-gate

So, she didn’t know what game to play, and needed her brother to check her ticket? I would say “ stay away from the game entirely.” There is much to much risk here.. for her.That’s like her asking herself “ do l turn left or right, in oncoming traffic!”

Tucker Black's avatarTucker Black

There seems to be a lot of stories lately about people rescuing winning lottery tickets from the trash.

This makes me wonder -- how many people throw away winning tickets in the trash and don't retrieve it?

If you're going to buy a lottery ticket just to throw it away in the trash, save your state government some overhead and just write a check to the state treasury.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by Raven62 on Dec 19, 2018

Party Cheers to the First Time Player! Party

After Winning $50,000: One might Wonder: Will she continue to Play?

Artist77's avatarArtist77

I have people at work ask me to check their ticket.  These people rarely play so I don't view it as a commentary on their intelligence. She was smart to ask someone to double check her ticket.  And she had fun.

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Congrats on the win!

She must really owe a lot of money if she's only going to pay some bills!

If I won even that amount, it would zero out my debt and have money left over.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Dec 19, 2018

So, she didn’t know what game to play, and needed her brother to check her ticket? I would say “ stay away from the game entirely.” There is much to much risk here.. for her.That’s like her asking herself “ do l turn left or right, in oncoming traffic!”

Lots of stories about players misplacing their tickets, but not any about players checking their found tickets, seeing their numbers matched a nice prize from two years ago. How come they never say what else they found or what they caught while dumpster diving?

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Dec 20, 2018

Lots of stories about players misplacing their tickets, but not any about players checking their found tickets, seeing their numbers matched a nice prize from two years ago. How come they never say what else they found or what they caught while dumpster diving?

l am waiting to read on LP where, a player throws his " losing lottery ticket" into  a dumpster, where thereupon a pandhandler standing at a distance, observes this,  decides to dive into the dumpster & retrieves the ticket. Only to discover that the ticket is worth $300,000. The original owner of the ticket, on hearing of this find, now brings a lawsuit against the pandhandler. The owner wanted to settle, but the street merchant is  hearing nothing of the kind. Battle lines are drawn..hmm, l wonder who will win?

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Dec 20, 2018

l am waiting to read on LP where, a player throws his " losing lottery ticket" into  a dumpster, where thereupon a pandhandler standing at a distance, observes this,  decides to dive into the dumpster & retrieves the ticket. Only to discover that the ticket is worth $300,000. The original owner of the ticket, on hearing of this find, now brings a lawsuit against the pandhandler. The owner wanted to settle, but the street merchant is  hearing nothing of the kind. Battle lines are drawn..hmm, l wonder who will win?

Considering someone here decided it was necessary to explain which PB prize pays $50,000 and someone else checks their co-worker's tickets, it looks like lots of players have no clue if they won and if so how much. But when you looks at both game's ticket sales during jackpot runs, it becomes obvious more people that don't usually buy tickets catch jackpot fever the last couple of drawings during the run and buy tickets. MM has "jackpot only" tickets that could add to the confusion too. Makes ya wonder how many smaller denomination tickets are thrown away.

Can you imagine someone covered in garbage handing a ticket to a well dressed worker at lottery headquarters?

Artist77's avatarArtist77

I think some people forget that people have lives and dropping everything to focus on a lottery ticket is often not a priority. I don't play pick 3 or 4 so do not know those rules. Saying that players who do not know all the rules should stay away from playing, is ridiculous.

noise-gate

A couple of years ago, a Vietnamese gentlemen in San Jose, part of the Greater Bay Area , found himself driving on the opposite side of the road, with the end result is that he was involved in an multi car accident, due to his fault. His defense was “ the street or road signs” should have been in Vietnamese, so he “ could better understand.” In short, he had no business being in a car & on the street in traffic. Although driving & playing the lottery are two totally different things, the rules still apply. Every lottery play slip out there has RULES on the back, and it is there for a reason,to prevent ignorance from taking root. So explain it anyway you want, rules are rules. You may not agree, but it makes perfect sense. Try buying a MM or PB ticket with a dollar, cause that’s the price you remember paying for them years ago, and see how far that gets you. So there..

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