ALBUQUERQUE – A woman of few words found 12 in a “Diamond Crossword” Scratcher to win the game’s $30,000 top prize.
“I was very excited,” said Amanda Orosco of Artesia.
Orosco told New Mexico Lottery officials in Albuquerque that she bought her lucky ticket Sunday in Carlsbad while her husband, Steve, put gas in their car for a trip home from a softball tournament. She waited to play the game until after her husband left for work Monday morning. When she discovered the five-figure prize, she sent him the good news in – what else – a text message.
Orosco said her husband wants to use the prize to pay off bills, but she’s hoping to set aside a little for a belated honeymoon.
The lucky ticket came from Northgate Chevron No. 24 located at 1311 W. Pierce St. in Carlsbad. The store has sold 28 other large prize-winning lottery tickets paying between $1,000 and $100,000.
In recent weeks, two Artesia stores have sold lottery tickets paying top-tier prizes. The Western Way Shell at 101 N. 1st St. sold a $10,000-winning Scratcher to Artesia resident Norma DeLeon. Brewer Hermosa at 1302 S. 1st St. sold a $15,000-winning Scratcher ticket to Jose Sanchez of Dexter.
Legislative Lottery College Scholarships
Since 1996, the New Mexico Lottery has raised $494 million for education and more than 75,000 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships. As of the Spring 2010 semester, more than 2,050 students from Eddy County have received $8 million in Legislative Lottery Scholarships.