Betty Davey feels like a million bucks, before taxes anyway.
The Duluth, Minnesota woman won the $1,005,027 grand prize Sunday night on the "Powerball Instant Millionaire" TV game show.
Although the show was taped at the end of June, Sunday marked a night of celebration as the 44-year-old certified nurse's assistant gathered with friends and family to watch the debut.
"I still feel nauseous," said Davey, who spent Monday afternoon playing by the pool with her grandchildren at Black Bear Casino and Hotel in Carlton, where Sunday's small celebration took place.
Davey's road to a million began in January with the trivial purchase of two $3 "Venetian Nights" scratch tickets from a gas station in Duluth. After scratching off three TV symbols, she filled out the information on the back and sent it in to the Minnesota State Lottery office, where it was entered into a pool of qualified tickets eligible to be selected for a trip to compete for $1 million in Las Vegas.
"I really wasn't that excited; I'd scratched off the TVs before but didn't win," said Davey, who couldn't remember what gas station sold her the winning ticket.
At the end of February, Davey received a message from the state's lottery office, but wasn't able to get back to officials for about a day and a half.
"My husband told me they were probably calling for the second-chance drawing, but I told him, 'No way. I'm going to Vegas,' " Davey said.
Sure enough, on June 29, Davey, along with contestants from 12 other states and the District of Columbia, tried their luck in front of cameras in Las Vegas, competing to advance through two rounds and a bonus round for the$1 million grand prize.
In the final round, Davey had to select letters from the word "Powerball," finding the dollar signs and avoiding the two "Xs."
She already has plans for her winnings. Davey recently purchased a new Pontiac Grand Am and wants to buy a house. She also wants to save money to help her three young grandchildren through college.
Because Davey won the grand prize, 34 at-home players in Minnesota each won $10,000, including Douglas Frich of Duluth, Anthony Harkonen of Virginia, Greg Hagy of Cohasset, Donna Fisher of Holyoke and Kathryn Bruner of Eveleth, according to the Minnesota State Lottery.
The "Powerball Instant Millionaire" show ends after this season. Minnesota's final TV contestants have been chosen, and the show can be seen at 11:30 p.m. Sundays on WDIO-TV/Channel 10 in Duluth.
All CASH, too!