Woonsocket Man Wins $20,000 On Scratch Ticket

A city man is $20,000 richer thanks to a Memorial Day weekend whim while making his regular scratch ticket purchase at the station.

The man, who said he wishes to remain anonymous, stopped in at RI Lottery offices at 1425 Pontiac Ave. in Cranston first thing this morning, said spokesperson Melissa Juhnowski. The ticket was a Lucky Times 20 Instant Game, and was the second of two prizes claimed so far. There are another 51 $20,000 prizes left unclaimed, she said.

"He was pretty quiet," said Juhnowski. She said he told her he plans to use the money to pay bills, including student loans.  

"I sold it to the guy," said Aiden Lopez, a sales associate at the store. He said the man comes into the store every day to play a scratch ticket, but has never spent $20 on a ticket before. But, on Friday, "Next thing you know, he says, 'If I don't try, I'm not going to win,' "Lopez said, and when he scratched the ticket, it was a winner.

"He was pretty excited. I was pretty excited," Lopez said.

The store wins, too - it gets a prize equal to one percent of the winning prize, $200, said Juhnowski.