Wild Card Jackpot Winner! Nampa Man Claims $245,000
Moments before informally accepting a ceremonial check for his Wild Card jackpot win at Idaho Lottery offices in Boise, Robert Hibberd of Nampa received a phone call from his brother. The two spoke briefly before Hibberd explained he was in the middle of something and quickly hung up without telling his brother where he was or what he was doing.

"He has no idea I'm at the Lottery or that I just won $245,000," laughed Hibberd.

Hibberd bought his winning ticket at Greenhurst Chevron in Nampa for last Saturday night's Wild Card draw. He was in the store on Sunday checking a Powerball winner and decided to check his Wild Card ticket, too. He handed it to the clerk who scanned the ticket and informed Hibberd he needed to claim his ticket in Boise.

"I knew it had to be a lot, but I didn't know how much it was," explained Hibberd. "I finally looked at the numbers and saw I had the big winner. I started calling people!"

Hibberd plans to use his winnings to open a business with his wife, Pretty Paws Dog Grooming.

"This couldn't have come at a better time for us, thank you," added Hibberd.

For their part in selling the winning ticket, Greenhurst Chevron will receive a bonus from the Idaho Lottery for $20,000.

Wild Card Luck Finds Chubbuck Man, Wins $501,000!
Gary Humphrey needed a lucky break after suffering a broken leg on the job two years ago that left him unable to work. Luck found Humphrey at one of his usual hangouts, Toad's Store and Ale House on the north side of Chubbuck last Saturday night when his Wild Card ticket matched all five numbers and the Wild Card to win a $501,194 jackpot!

"I was reading the Sunday paper and watching a little NASCAR pre-race and I checked my Powerball and Hot Lotto numbers," described Humphrey on how he knew he had the winning ticket. "I didn't have any winners, so I watched a little more TV before I checked my Wild Card tickets on my laptop. I stared at the computer screen for about 15 minutes thinking it was just too good to be true."

Certain there must have been a mistake, Humphrey called Idaho Lottery Customer Service to verify the numbers. Sure enough, his ticket matched all the numbers and the Wild Card for the half-a-million dollar jackpot. Humphrey claimed his winning ticket on Thursday from Idaho Lottery headquarters in Boise.

Toad's Store and Ale House, a roadside convenience store and bar on the far north side of Chubbuck sold the winning ticket to Humphrey, a regular customer. When the crew who works for Toad's found out Humphrey was the winner, a huge cheer was let out and the celebration started.

"It couldn't have happened to a better guy," said Myrose Powell, proprietor of Toad's Store and Ale House. "This is fantastic for him."

For their part in selling the winning ticket, Toad's receives a bonus from the Idaho Lottery of $20,000.

Humphrey is currently enrolled at Idaho State University taking Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) courses to learn a new profession. He plans to use his windfall to support his education and buy property.

Rapid City Man Claims $256,515 Wild Card 2 Jackpot
"Thrilled and thankful." That's how Dave Yuhas of Rapid City, South Dakota felt when he learned he was the winner of the $256,515 Wild Card 2 jackpot from the February 4, 2012 drawing. He collected his winnings February 7, 2012 at the Rapid City Lottery office.

His Quick Pick ticket purchased at Big D Oil Company on Jackson Boulevard in Rapid City, SD was the only one to match all five white ball numbers and the Wild Card that night; the odds of winning the Wild Card 2 jackpot are 1:1,359,288. Yuhas says he usually plays lotto when the jackpots reach a certain level and he frequently buys his tickets at Big D Oil Company because it's near his home. The store will receive a $2,565 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

The first inkling Yuhas, a certified public accountant, had that the ticket could be a winner was when he read in yesterday's newspaper that the jackpot had been won in Rapid City and he realized some of the winning numbers looked familiar.

"I knew I had at least three of the numbers right, maybe more. I told my wife (Kari) when I got home that we might have won $250,000 and we decided we better get to a store and check the ticket," Yuhas said.

A quick scan on a ticket self-checker turned up the message that the prize had to be redeemed at a Lottery office; the clerk behind the counter scanned it as well and confirmed the ticket was a winner.

The win was good news for the couple, whose family includes three daughters, and who are in the process of moving from Billings, Montana to Rapid City.

"It will definitely make some changes in our lives. We can pay off some debts, finish relocating to the area. It's almost too good to be true," he said. "You can't win if you don't play."

"Breathing Easy" – CDA Couple Claims $145,000 Wild Card Prize
It could be said that breathing easier is a way of life for Ralph Paul of Coeur d'Alene. That metaphor, though took on a whole new meaning when the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Air Shed Coordinator for Idaho's panhandle won a $145,000 Wild Card jackpot from the Idaho Lottery. The winning ticket was sold for the Saturday, October 8, 2011 Wild Card draw.

"I checked my numbers and couldn't believe it," said a still disbelieving Paul when he claimed his winning ticket with his wife Jody at Lottery Headquarters in Boise. "I matched every single one of the numbers."

"A few years ago I got a quick pick and I just keep playing the same ticket over and over," added Paul, who has lived in northern Idaho for about eight years.

As the Air Shed Coordinator for Idaho's panhandle, Paul is responsible to make sure the air in that region is clear for everyone. After his new found windfall, however, Paul and his wife are literally breathing easier. The couple plans to use their windfall to pay off some bills that have accumulated over the past couple of years then invest the rest wisely.

A regular player, Paul bought his Wild Card winning ticket at the Fairway Gas and Grocery at 1745 W Kathleen in Coeur d'Alene. For their part in selling the winning ticket, Fairway Gas and Grocery receives a $20,000 bonus from the Idaho Lottery.

"It is just super fantastic that it was one our regular players," said Hannah Symons, the manager at Fairway Gas and Grocery. "This is great for our store and our community."

Friendship Foundation Founder Wins $614,731 Wild Card Jackpot
Two times a week, Kevin Russell of Boise stops at his favorite Lottery store, On the Fly at the corner of Collister and State Street, on his way home from work to pick up his lottery tickets for Powerball and Hot Lotto Sizzler. At the encouragement of the store clerk, he also picked up a $5 Wild Card ticket for Wednesday night.

Usually over morning coffee the next day, he reads the paper and checks his tickets for winners. While he didn't have winners on his other tickets, Russell discovered he'd matched every single number on one of his Wild Card ticket lines.

"I looked down and checked the wild card itself. It said 'Queen of Hearts', and sure enough, I had that too," laughed an elated Russell, the store manager for Tates Rentals on both State Street and Fairview in Boise. "I was so nervous and sweating, I just about passed out."

The long-time Boisean and lottery player is the founder of the Friendship Foundation and their fund-raising golf tournament, the Friendship Scramble. Originally started by Russell, his family and a group of friends from Sacred Heart School in Boise, the Friendship Foundation is now in its 25th year and benefits one child recipient who is battling a life threatening illness. The Friendship Scramble is an annual fund-raising golf tournament held each May for the Foundation's beneficiaries.

"I do plan on making a contribution to the foundation," admitted Russell who says he plans to retire a few years sooner than he'd expected and continue his work with the Friendship Foundation.

For their part in selling the Wild Card winning ticket, long time Idaho Lottery retailer On the Fly will receive a bonus of $20,000.

Idaho Man Wins $347,175 Wild Card Jackpot
Boise – For one Nampa resident, the dream of winning the Lottery became a reality on Thursday when last Saturday night’s Wild Card jackpot winner claimed his prize of $347,175 from the Idaho Lottery today during a check ceremony at the store where his winning ticket was sold. Kenneth Redmon of Nampa bought the lucky ticket from his neighborhood store at the Gem Stop located on the corner of Roosevelt and Midland in Nampa for last Saturday night’s draw. “I called the Lottery’s winning numbers line yesterday and wrote down the numbers. Then I checked my tickets and I just couldn’t believe it,” said Redmon, a life long resident of Idaho. “I had my daughter do the same thing and the numbers were still the same, so I knew I wasn’t completely lost.”

After a sleepless night with the big winning ticket signed and safely hidden, Redmon claimed his prize from the Idaho Lottery on Thursday. He becomes the Idaho Lottery’s sixth largest winner on Wild Card. When he claimed his prize in Boise, he did ask for one additional item, an Idaho Lottery hat to add to his collection of more than 3,000 ball caps. “It’s nice to have the hat, but I think it’s more important to have the money,” chuckled Redmon. Redmon plans to use his windfall to encourage his wife to retire, although he plans to continue working part-time in the sand and gravel business. “The Lottery, to me is a good thing, and I thought that even before I won, because it is real,” added Redmon. “It is a dream. A dream that can come true and it just did!” For their part in selling the winning ticket Gem Stop will receive a bonus from the Idaho Lottery worth $20,000.

Montana Woman Claims $105,000 Wild Card Jackpot
Marsha Freman of Whitehall has claimed the $105,000 Wild Card jackpot for the March 17 drawing with a winning ticket purchased at The Corner Store of Whitehall. Freman previously won a $30,000 Montana Cash jackpot for the Aug. 9, 1995, drawing — also with a ticket from The Corner Store. Now she plays lotto games every week. “It was the game I least expected to win,” she said. “It was a nice surprise.” According to Freman, the prize money is going toward her antiques business.

South Dakota Woman Claims $182,790 Wild Card 2 Jackpot
Misty Young of Madison claimed her $182,790 Wild Card 2 jackpot for the March 10th drawing at the Sioux Falls Lottery office. Young purchased the Quick Pick ticket at Mike’s Package Liquor in Madison. Young, a single mother of two, usually purchases four Quick Picks per drawing: one for each lotto game in South Dakota. This practice, started by her late parents, is one that she continues with her father’s passing late last year. She admits she nearly missed making her purchase for Wednesday’s drawing.

“I hadn’t been feeling well and forgot to pick up my tickets like I usually do. My kids happened to remind me so I ran into Mike’s about 8:00 p.m. and got my Quick Picks,” Young said. A text from her brother, after the news broke that the winning ticket had been sold in Madison, prompted Young to go on-line to check her numbers. At first she wasn’t even aware of the amount of the jackpot, and when she discovered she’d actually won it, she was shocked. “My first reaction was surrealistic…I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Then Eric (her significant other) told me to calm down and contact a lawyer, which was really good advice.”

Now that the initial shock is wearing off, Young has consulted both her attorney and her financial advisor, and has started making plans for what to do with her winnings. “I hope to make the winnings last for awhile, and it’s nice to have a little break from having to live from month to month. I plan to use some of the prize money to get a family portrait done, pay for my dad’s funeral, and take my kids on a vacation,” said Young. Even though she’s a jackpot winner, Young says she’ll keep buying her Quick Picks and even stopped at her usual spot to get tickets for Saturday’s drawing before heading to Sioux Falls to collect her winnings. Her advice to other would-be winners… “Sign the back of your tickets as soon as you buy them! I never thought about it before but when you win big, you realize how important that is,” she laughed.

Two Wild Card 2 Winners in North Dakota Split $385,000 Jackpot
claimed at North Dakota lottery headquarters recently. Joe Jongeward of Valley City claimed his ticket and was still in disbelief. “This is a gift from God,” said Joe.’ We will pay off some bills and I’ll probably get a new set of golf clubs.” Joe also made the comment that his wife, Sandra, could use a different car, so that would probably be on the shopping list.

It was a busy night for Lady Luck and a very lucky night for two winning Wild Card 2 ticket holders. The winning tickets, drawn on Wednesday, February 3, matched all five white balls and the Wild Card to win the jackpot, worth $384,884. The prize is split between the two winners, making each ticket worth $192,442.

Both tickets were “My wife and I are simple people and we choose to live a simple life.’ Not much will change,” said Joe. The winning ticket was purchased at Brothers III Sports in Valley City. The second winner, who purchased the ticket at Lakota Cenex in Lakota, chose to remain anonymous but left a parting comment. “I will probably pay off a few bills and put the rest into savings for when I need it later.”

North Dakota Retired Farmer Wins $1.6 Million Jackpot
A Grafton farmer who commented he is the most unlikely person to win, stood with a ceremonial check for his jackpot winnings with his wife and children at the store where he bought the winning Wild Card 2 ticket for the November 25th drawing. George Nelson has the deadpan humor of a retired Norwegian farmer who says he remembers “not having two nickels to rub together.” While standing in Wally’s Supermarket, the store that sold him the ticket, he said he compares farming to playing the lottery. He mentioned to a friend, “if I had won this earlier, I could have farmed a year longer.” George added, “I was pretty satisfied with my life the way it was, I don’t plan on any big changes now.”

He also said he does not plan on any big spending... “Probably the closest I came was I drove by the car dealership on the edge of town, and I looked, and knew I could buy one, if I wanted to. That’s probably as far as it will go.” He did say he is going to buy his wife Char a new car, to replace the 2005 Toyota Vibe she drives. He drives a 2003 Chevy Suburban.

As far as for his children Nelson said, “The kids really won this,” as he nodded toward his two children who he and Char adopted from Bulgaria. “This will go to them.” The Nelson’s adopted their children when their first daughter died moments after being born in 1990. The Nelson’s son, Ventzi, got home last Monday from his job with the Carnival Cruise Line, where he’s a musical director for cruises. He hadn’t heard yet about his father’s big win. “He showed us the newspaper article. We didn’t know what it was about. He said, ‘Look at the numbers.’ Then, he showed us the lottery ticket. Then nothing much more was said. We drove to Bismarck the next day.”

When claiming the ticket at North Dakota Lottery headquarters in Bismarck, George wore a button with a photo of Asya (his daughter) who is a senior in high school. George plans to do more fishing with his daughter. “Nice and peaceful, in ponds in cow pastures,” he said. “Catching big lunkers isn’t the deal.”

Loose Change Wins WILD CARD 2 Jackpot for North Dakota Group!
Three employees from the Coffee Cup in Steele claimed the $125,000 Wild Card 2 jackpot from the Saturday, April 4 drawing. The lucky trio usually pool their loose change to purchase lottery tickets. On Saturday, the change amounted to only one dollar and that is all it took to win big.

“We only had a dollar to spend, so we decided to get a Wild Card ticket,” said Cindy, one of the lucky three winners. “When I got to work on Sunday, I checked the numbers. I couldn’t believe it. The numbers all matched and we won the jackpot. When I called Linda to tell her we won, she didn’t believe me!”

The winners, Cindy Heinz, Linda Sprague and Emilee Rebel said they will keep playing the Lottery using their loose change. You never know if Lady Luck will strike twice. Cindy plans to use some of the cash to remodel her home, Emilee is going to pay off her car loan and start a savings account for her two-year-old daughter and Linda didn’t have any plans yet. Congratulations to the lucky trio.

South Dakota Man Claims $378,068 Wild Card 2 Jackpot
(Pierre) – Don Kwasniewski of Webster claimed the $378,068 jackpot he won in the Wild Card 2 multi-state lotto game for the March 14 drawing. Kwasniewski purchased the winning “quick pick” ticket at Pike’s Clark in Webster. The store will receive a bonus for selling the winning ticket. This is the seventh time the jackpot has been won in South Dakota. The game is currently played in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Idaho.