Haunting memory motivates lottery player to seek redemption
By Kate Northrop
LA HABRA, Calif. — A California woman pushed herself to keeping playing the lottery after just barely missing out on a $2 million prize and found redemption when she finally won a $2 million prize of her own.
Most people would rejoice at hearing the good news of someone winning the lottery, but for Mehret Werrede, hearing about this particular win was one of the most haunting, crushing moments she ever experienced.
About six years ago, Werrede bought three tickets from a newly opened pack of "Instant Prize Crossword" scratch-off games.
"The first ticket didn't give me anything, the second one I won $25, and on the third, I won $50," she told the California Lottery. "I didn't buy a fourth."
The reason why this occasion became such a painful memory was because she later learned a player who bought that fourth ticket on the roll ended up winning a $2 million prize, she explained.
"The clerk told me," she clarified. "Someone walked in the next day and won the jackpot."
Rather than let that realization haunt her forever, she turned it into fuel for motivation to continue playing the lottery for a big win of her own.
"It was a horrible feeling," Werrede continued. "It's actually what kept me trying."
Six years later, her persistence has finally paid off. She bought a winning $20 "Instant Prize Crossword" scratch-off ticket at Circle Liquor on West La Habra Boulevard in La Habra and now has a $2 million top prize to call her own.
"I couldn't believe it finally happened," she related. "I was shocked! I went home to tell my husband what happened. He didn't really believe it until I got my check."
Now that Werrede has won that coveted $2 million top prize from the $20 "Instant Prize Crossword" game, nine out of 32 top prizes remain. There are also 24 out of 64 second-tier prizes of $25,000 and 19 out of 67 third-tier prizes of $10,000 left to claim.
The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.1.
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* Sweet- and our fantasy 5 prize had crossed over into uncharted territory: $1 million plus.
aw.
I'm loving to hear about this in my home state of California, great to read! Thanks for sharing this. love it.
That is such a great ending and I am happy for her.
The story of course works on the readers emotions that the player finally got what "she deserved" But experts always tell us "Don't chase your losses" just play for fun.
I personally believe that her winning 2M had nothing to do with the fact that 6 years ago someone else won 2M from the store she had bought her tickets the previous day.
She won 2M because she walked into a store and bought a scratcher game and luck was on her side.
The store that she went to and the game that she opted to play and the exact scratcher that she got and that no one got the card before her and that she did not play a different game and on and on, the variables are so many.
Bottom line she won 2M and that's awesome and that is just that 🤣🤣
I love the story though.
Great story!
I guess it proves that time heals all wounds.