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Christmas Comes Early for Russellville Woman

For one Russellville woman who says "everything has always come hard" for her, the holiday season has just gotten off to an easier and exciting start.  Teresa New, 46, doesn’t usually purchase Missouri Lottery tickets, but hearing about family and friends’ recent wins prompted her to try her own luck on Nov. 28.

"My daughter had won $100, and some friends of mine had won $10," she began, referring to the moment she decided to buy a few "Ho Ho Bingo" Scratchers tickets at Jiffy Stop, 3360 Bagnall Dam Blvd. in Lake Ozark.  "It was spur-of-the-moment.  One of my friends from work was sitting there scratching off a ’Crossword,’ and at the last minute, I asked her to go ahead and give me two of the holiday Bingos."

The first-time Lottery winner and mother of three didn’t discover she had won a $25,003 prize until later that evening when she scratched her tickets while at home.

"I woke up the youngest son first, and I guess he wasn’t awake enough to check it," she recalled.  "So, I woke this one up.  I was just pacing.  I was like, ’No way.  No way.  No way!’"

The win "couldn’t have come at a better time," according to New’s eldest son.

"I was just about to lose the house, so this is going to take care of that," she said.

According to New, "I never win anything," but she is beginning to believe that her luck might be changing. 

"It really does happen," she added.

"Ho Ho Bingo," a $3 game with a top prize of $50,003, officially began on Oct. 24.  Non-winning tickets are eligible for the Missouri Lottery’s "Holiday Magic" second chance promotion.