Lovington Grandmother Wins $30,000 New Mexico Lottery Prize, Plans to Buy Motorcycle

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7/21/2010 7:42:52 AM - ALBUQUERQUE – After winning a $30,000 prize from the New Mexico Lottery, Georgia Duffy plans to treat herself to a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

On Sunday evening, the Lovington grandmother revealed a $30,000 prize playing the “Big Bingo” Scratcher™ game.

“I was running all over the house crying and laughing,” Duffy recalled for lottery officials in Albuquerque.

On Tuesday, the tears flowed again as Duffy and daughter Tanya Duffy made the four-hour drive to lottery headquarters.

“It’s been really emotional,” Duffy said. “This is the highest I’ve ever felt in my life.”

Before buying a used motorcycle, the 54-year-old waitress said she plans to pay bills and start a nest egg.

Duffy purchased her winning ticket at Allsup’s Store No. 117 located at 1608 S. Main St. in Lovington. Previously, this store has sold five other large prize-winning lottery tickets paying between $1,000 and $15,000.

Three other Lea County residents have recently claimed large Scratcher prizes. Lovington resident Crayton Weisler won a $20,000 Scratcher prize. From Hobbs, Cindy Sabia won $5,000 playing Pick 3 while Scratcher player Phillip Valdez won $1,500.

Lottery players can now check their own tickets for prizes using countertop ticket checkers or self-service lottery vending machines located in 15 Lea County stores. The ticket checkers also remind players to sign prize-winning tickets.

Lottery Beneficiaries in Lea County

Since 1996, the lottery has raised $442.7 million for education and more than 61,000 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships.

As of the Spring 2009 semester, 1,400 students from Lea County have received $3.1 million in Legislative Lottery Scholarships.