Suzanne Birt flashed a winning smile Tuesday as she was presented a half-million dollar cheque.
She accepted the money for her Atlantic Lottery scratch ticket win during a ceremony at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino in Charlottetown.
“It feels so exciting but, a little at the same time, it feels unreal and unbelievable. It was just like it was all a dream,” she said.
Birt won her Classic Ruby scratch ticket at her parent’s convenience store in Summerside.
When she discovered she won, she said she almost couldn’t believe it.
“I just got very weak and my hands were shaking and I was sweating and I was just nervous and like ‘Oh my gosh’.”
Birt worked at the store where she purchased the ticket. The store has since changed hands in a sale arranged prior to Birt scratching the winning ticket.
Being a retailer, she fell into a ‘related party’ category. The related party policy guides a winner validation process when a retailer comes forward to claim a prize, said Carla Bourque of the Atlantic Lottery Communications Council.
“While all winners go through a winner confirmation process, when an employee, retailer or other related party wins a prize, there are additional security processes that must be completed before they can receive their prize.”
Any retailer, and retail employees, who claim Scratch N’ Win prizes of $10,000 or greater are subject to a 30-day review period, Bourque said.
“What’s really important is that no prize is awarded unless we are 100 per cent confident that we are awarding to the rightful owner. And today, we awarded Suzanne her rightful prize.”
Birt is still making plans with her family with what to do with the prize money.
“We’re going to pay off our mortgage probably and be a little debt-free. Maybe go on a vacation, my husband (Trevor) and I and our daughter. We haven’t had time to sit down and think about it but we’ll decide soon.”
Suzanne Birt flashed a winning smile Tuesday as she was presented a half-million dollar cheque.
She accepted the money for her Atlantic Lottery scratch ticket win during a ceremony at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino in Charlottetown.
“It feels so exciting but, a little at the same time, it feels unreal and unbelievable. It was just like it was all a dream,” she said.
Birt won her Classic Ruby scratch ticket at her parent’s convenience store in Summerside.
When she discovered she won, she said she almost couldn’t believe it.
“I just got very weak and my hands were shaking and I was sweating and I was just nervous and like ‘Oh my gosh’.”
Birt worked at the store where she purchased the ticket. The store has since changed hands in a sale arranged prior to Birt scratching the winning ticket.
Being a retailer, she fell into a ‘related party’ category. The related party policy guides a winner validation process when a retailer comes forward to claim a prize, said Carla Bourque of the Atlantic Lottery Communications Council.
“While all winners go through a winner confirmation process, when an employee, retailer or other related party wins a prize, there are additional security processes that must be completed before they can receive their prize.”
Any retailer, and retail employees, who claim Scratch N’ Win prizes of $10,000 or greater are subject to a 30-day review period, Bourque said.
“What’s really important is that no prize is awarded unless we are 100 per cent confident that we are awarding to the rightful owner. And today, we awarded Suzanne her rightful prize.”
Birt is still making plans with her family with what to do with the prize money.
“We’re going to pay off our mortgage probably and be a little debt-free. Maybe go on a vacation, my husband (Trevor) and I and our daughter. We haven’t had time to sit down and think about it but we’ll decide soon.”
