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Lake Ozark Woman Rings In New Year with $27,777 Prize

A Lake Ozark woman says the number seven is her new "lucky number" after winning the $27,777 top prize on a Missouri Lottery "Sapphire Blue 7’s" Scratchers ticket on Dec. 28.

Leslie Burgess, 37, credits a routine trip for groceries at Paul’s Supermarket, 2107 Bagnell Dam Blvd. in Lake Ozark, as the reason she won.

"I went to the store to get a few things, and I didn’t plan on buying a Lottery ticket at first," said Burgess.  "I decided to try one of the ’Sapphire Blue 7’s’ tickets while I was there."

Burgess, a mother of four and first-time Lottery winner, looked at her ticket "at least four or five times" while in the parking lot. 

"I scratched the ticket in the car, but I wasn’t sure if it was real for a few minutes," revealed Burgess, who called her husband from the parking lot.

"My husband said, ’Congratulations,’ although I don’t think he believed me at first," said Burgess.

The Burgess family plans to use the prize money towards a down payment on a new home.

"The number seven is definitely my lucky number, especially now!" exclaimed Burgess.

"Sapphire Blue 7’s," a $2 game with a top prize of $27,777, officially began on Aug. 30.