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PA Great-Great-Grandmother Wins $1.2 Million Lottery

An 83-year-old great-great-grandmother has won the lottery, according to Pennsylvania Lottery officials.

Charlie's Fuel & Deli

Charlie's Fuel & Deli

Photo Credit: Google Maps

A commemorative check was presented at Charlies Fuel & Deli located at 1634 W. Main St., Ephrata, Lancaster County where the jackpot-winning ticket was sold.

Lillian Hess, 83, of Lancaster, won a $1.2 million Cash 5 with Quick Cash jackpot.

She has played the Pennsylvania Lottery’s longest-running jackpot game, Cash 5, for years, she told lottery officials.

“The funny thing is I usually check my numbers when the TV station has the drawing on, but I changed the channel, so I didn’t see it,” Hess said. “After I got my Sunday paper, I saw it. I started screaming for my son to come and double check!”

She was in disbelief at her luck,

“It was just a lot to take in. I’m going to pay my mortgage off and give some of it to my kids,” she said. “I’m still working, at home, sewing.”

Hess has eight children, 24 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren, but she still mows her own lawn so, “one of the first things I’m going to do is buy a new mower! A riding mower!” she added.

She’s still making plans about how she’ll spend the rest of the funds.

Charlies Fuel & Deli received a $10,000 bonus.

“We were excited to hear that Lillian, a long-time customer of our store, won the big Cash 5 jackpot!” Charlie Rutt, the store’s owner, told lottery officials. “Being a Lottery retailer allows us the chance to not only offer entertaining products, but also help the growing senior population in Pennsylvania. Many thanks to my customers and employees for making this all possible.”

“Thanks to players like Lillian and retailer partners like Charlies Fuel & Deli, the Pennsylvania Lottery is able to do a great deal of good for older Pennsylvanians,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “The Lottery is going to celebrate its 50th anniversary in March of next year and over those 50 years we have generated more than $32.6 billion in benefits for senior programs.”

The Pennsylvania Lottery Cash 5 with Quick Cash jackpot-winning ticket Hess won sold on Saturday, Sept. 18, as Daily Voice reported at the time. 

The drawing matched all five balls drawn, 11-12-15-28-35, to win $1,207,938.50 less withholding.

More than 31,000 other Cash 5 with Quick Cash tickets also won prizes in the drawing.

Players are reminded to check every ticket, every time.

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