Winner wants to take care of herself before embarking on a journey to live life to the fullest

By Kate Northrop

LEOLA, Pa. — A Pennsylvania great-grandmother is cashing in on three milestones all at once — her birthday, a second chance at life, and a $5 million lottery prize.

One breast cancer survivor from Pennsylvania is commemorating two very special occasions with a well-timed $5 million lottery prize.

On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Lottery presented Donna Osborne, 75, with a commemorative check for a $5 million scratch-off prize at Lottery headquarters in Middletown. Winning the prize came just in time for her birthday, plus she had just finished radiation treatment for breast cancer.

Had it not been for a delayed flight, she is sure she would not have even won the lottery at all.

"I was at the airport with my daughter. We were on our way to see family in Florida when the flight got delayed," Osborne told the Lottery. "Well, it was delayed so many times, I decided to go home. My daughter stayed and flew to Florida. If I didn't leave the airport, I would have never bought that ticket!"

On the way home from the airport, she stopped at the Speedway on Oregon Pike in Leola. She put down $50 for a "Monopoly Own It All" scratch-off ticket and began scratching it in the parking lot of gas station.

"I could not believe my eyes!" Osborne recalled. "I went back into the store and said, 'Can you please check this? Is it right or wrong?' Well, the clerk said, 'It's right!'"

Her daughter, who had already landed in Florida, was the first to receive a call from Osborne. However, it was not the usual check-in call to make sure she arrived safely, but rather a deliverance of some extraordinary news.

"She didn't believe me," Osborne said.

While Osborne had won a $1,000 prize in the past, she initially didn't believe the win either. She didn't realize that Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-off prizes even went as high as $5 million.

The great-grandmother has been providing transportation for the Amish for a living for decades, and she continues to do so to this day. She said she doesn't have plans to retire anytime soon.

"I don't know what I'd do with myself. I have to keep moving," she explained. "I think I'll invest some of the prize, sure, but then go to Alaska!"

Before that, she said, she wants to prioritize taking care of her teeth and intends to get dental implants. Then, she'll consider buying a house in Alaska. Most importantly, she is looking forward to using the winnings to live a full life.

"We wish Donna the best of birthdays as we celebrate her for winning this big Scratch-Off prize," Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne said in a press release. "Donna told us that she's been playing the Lottery for a long time, and it's thanks to players like her that the PA Lottery is able to not only create millionaires but also help seniors live a good life."

Osborne claimed the third $5 million top prize in the $50 "Monopoly Own It All" instant game, which launched in December 2023, leaving two more top prizes for other players to win. There are also ten second-tier prizes of $500,000 and seven third-tier prizes of $250,000 remaining.

The odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.93.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Pictured: Winner Donna Osborne and PA Lottery Deputy Director of Corporate Sales Staci Coombs.