A Minnesota woman who won a $3.1 million Lotto America jackpot played family birthdates that she had talked about with her mother in a recent video chat.
The winner, who claimed her prize Tuesday at state lottery headquarters in Roseville, used those dates to buy a single ticket for the April 24 drawing and matched all six numbers to win the grand prize.
"Always listen to your mother," the winner, who has elected to remain anonymous, told lottery officials. Winners of prizes of more than $10,000 don't have to reveal their identity under state law.
The winner said she discovered Monday that she held a winning ticket with the numbers 7-12-17-22-52 and the Star Ball of 3, and tears of joy flowed.
"I've never seen so many zeros before," said the winner, who is a mother of two.
Her first order of business is to buy a plane ticket to visit her mom, who lives in Southeast Asia.
"It's been a long time since I've seen her," she explained. "I'm looking forward to flying back home. I've got a big family that I haven't seen in more than a decade."
The winner bought her ticket at the Cub Foods at 2050 Northdale Boulevard in Coon Rapids. The store will get $10,000.
This is the second Lotto America winner in Minnesota this year. Another player won a $3.73 million jackpot on a ticket bought at a Cub Foods in Roseville for the March 4 drawing.
The first Lotto America jackpot won in Minnesota was on March 14, 2018, when a $22.8 million winning ticket was sold at a Holiday gas station in Roseau. The second, worth $21.6 million, was sold at a Holiday gas station in Ramsey on July 10, 2019.
Lotto America is offered in 13 states. Tickets cost $1 and jackpots start at $2 million. Drawings are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
