A decision to kill time playing a Scratcher game paid off handsomely for Sapello
resident Joe Montoya.
On Tuesday, Montoya purchased two “Super Crossword” Scratcher games to keep him
company in an auto mechanic’s waiting room. After revealing 10 words such
as “claw,” “epic” and “announce,” the 58-year-old rancher left his appointment with
a prize-winning ticket worth $50,000.
“At first, I thought that it couldn’t be true,” he said.
He returned to the Allsup’s Store No. 255 in Las Vegas where he purchased the game
earlier in the day. After the store’s clerks confirmed the ticket as a top
prizewinner, Montoya returned to his ranch to share the good news with his wife
and indulge in a celebratory drink. He left the valuable ticket in his locked
truck under the watchful eyes of “some pretty mean” watchdogs.
Montoya, who claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Albuquerque,
said he plans to use his windfall to visit relatives in California and Colorado
and pay bills. He’s also treating his guard dogs to a special meal.
The prizewinning ticket came from the Allsup’s Store at 2195 7th Street in Las Vegas.
This lottery retailer has sold 18 other large prize-winning tickets ranging between
$1,000 and $10,000.
Lottery Beneficiaries in San Miguel County
All net revenues from the sale of lottery games benefit the
Legislative Lottery Scholarship program, which provides tuition assistance
for New Mexico residents attending the state’s public colleges and universities.
Since its inception in 1996, the lottery has raised $347 million for public education
in New Mexico and more than 48,000 have received Legislative Lottery Scholarships.
As of the Spring 2007 semester, more than 880 high school graduates from San Miguel
County have received $3.3 million in Legislative Lottery Scholarships. More
than 350 of those students have graduated from college. Information on Legislative
Lottery Scholarships is available at www.nmlottery.com.
