One lousy flat tire turned into the kind of problem most people would love to have: figuring out what to do with $1,000,000. In April, 32-year-old Beth Dudley stopped at a Salem Township convenience store to deal with her disabled car and ended up hitting the top prize on a Pennsylvania Lottery Win Win Win scratch-off.
Dudley walked out not just with help for her tire but with a seven-figure jackpot on a $10 ticket. Lottery officials later marked the moment with a ceremonial check presentation held just ahead of Mother's Day. She said, "I just started to cry," and told reporters she plans to buy a new car and invest the rest of the money.
Where the Ticket Was Bought
The winning ticket was sold at Crabtree Gas & Go, a Sunoco station on Roosevelt Way off Route 119 in Salem Township. Win Win Win tickets cost $10 and offer top prizes of $1 million. For selling the top-prize ticket, the retailer will receive a $5,000 bonus, as reported by WTAE.
Winner Reaction and Plans
Dudley told lottery officials she initially thought her eyes were playing tricks on her and quickly called family members to share the news. At the check presentation, Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne said it was "great to see a hardworking mom who juggles so much have some luck come her way," according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Retailer Bonus and Claiming Rules
The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds winners to immediately sign the back of their ticket and contact the claims line to start the payout process. Scratch-off prizes expire one year after the game's end-sale date, per WPXI. Retailers who sell top-prize tickets typically receive a bonus, which in this case means $5,000 for the Crabtree station.
Regional Context
Western Pennsylvania has seen multiple seven-figure scratch-off wins already this year. One of them was a $1 million Jackpot scratch-off sold in Somerset County earlier in February, according to CBS Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Lottery notes that proceeds from ticket sales fund programs for older Pennsylvanians, so major wins like Dudley's are tied to statewide services as well.
For now, Dudley said she and her family plan to enjoy a less stressful Mother's Day and the peace of mind that comes with a financial cushion. Lottery officials presented the ceremonial check at a brief event this month, and the winning player has the standard window of time to complete the formal claims process.
