TOPEKA, Kansas -- Kansas' newest millionaire says "something inside him" told him he was going to win the top $1 million prize in the Kansas Lottery's Holiday Millionaire Raffle.
The Wichita winner, who is in his 40s, claimed the prize late yesterday afternoon at Lottery headquarters after matching the grand prize winning number of 120833.
The winner brought his wife and three children with him to claim the prize.
He said they had to borrow a vehicle to make the trip from Wichita to Topeka because they do not currently own a car.
"We're going to use the prize money to buy a car and a house," said the winner who described himself as "nervous, excited and very happy." The winner's wife said the win is a prayer answered.
"I prayed to God that we would win the $1 million because we really needed it," she said on the brink of tears.
The winner, who works as a house painter in Wichita, had purchased a total of five raffle tickets.
He found out he had the $1 million grand prize winner after looking at the Kansas Lottery website following the drawing and winner announcement December 31.
"The whole family started crying and hugging and jumping up and down," he said. "This has truly changed our lives."
The winner purchased his lucky raffle ticket at Dillons 31, located at 1640 S. Broadway St. in Wichita. The store receives a $1,000 bonus for selling the ticket.
In addition to the $1 million top prize, the December 31 Holiday Millionaire Raffle drawing produced 25 winners of $5,000, 25 winners of $1,000, and 2,500 winners of $100. Five Early Bird drawings produced ten $10,000 raffle winners, all of whom have claimed their prizes.
