A Florida mother has found herself on the receiving end of some divine karma after what has been an emotionally grueling year. According to reports, Geraldine Gimblet burned through her life savings to pay for her daughter's breast cancer treatment. But incredibly, just one day after her daughter's treatment came to an end, Gimblet got some doubly happy news: She'd just won the lottery.
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Gimblet didn't just win a small amount of cash, either
She won a $2 million cash prize from a simple scratch-off game.
According to a press release from the Florida Lottery, Gimblet recently stopped at a gas station near her home, the Pipkin Road Beverage Castle. There, she asked for a $10 ticket for the $2,000,000 Bonus Cashword Scratch-Off game, which she often likes to play.
But at first, she thought she might be out of luck.
Apparently, the store clerk said they were all out of that particular game
As a result, Gimblet almost left empty-handed. But instead of taking the man at his word, something inside her told her to ask again.
"I asked him to double check because I like the crossword games the best," Gimblet told the Florida Lottery.
And lo and behold, it worked.
"He found the last one!" Gimblet happily recalled.
Once Gimblet sat down to play the game, it was clear her persistence had paid off
In Cashword, players are given 20 letters and three separate games to play their luck. The objective is to match three or more words in each game with the letters provided in order to win the cash prize listed.
Players also have the chance of doubling their money if they scratch off a "money bag" symbol, which raises the stakes even higher.
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After working her way through all three games, Gimblet sat back in shock
She had done it — she'd won the game's top prize of $2 million.
When Geraldine Gimblet of #Lakeland picked up the last $2,000,000 BONUS CASHWORD Scratch-Off game, her passion for crossword games paid off to the tune of a $2 million-dollar top prize, but that’s just the beginning of a truly, winning story! https://t.co/q5mFPaUHR4 pic.twitter.com/mv55B9zmz9
— Florida Lottery (@floridalottery) April 7, 2023
Gimblet's win is especially noteworthy when you consider the odds she was up against: According to the state lottery's website, players only have a 1 in 3.9 million chance of winning the top prize.
Gimblet ultimately chose a one-time, lump-sum payment of $1,645,000
The Pipkin Road Beverage Castle will also receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
To collect her prize, Gimblet traveled 260 miles north to Tallahassee, where she met with Reggie Dixon, the chief of staff of the lottery, at the organization's headquarters. She even brought her daughter and granddaughter along for the ride, so they could share the special moment together.
But as incredible as this news was, it doesn't even come close to the relief Gimblet feels about her daughter's cancer treatment being over.
"The day before my mom bought this ticket, I rang the bell and walked out of the hospital after completing my last treatment for breast cancer," Gimblet’s daughter, whose first name was not shared, told the lottery. “My mom had taken out her life savings to take care of me when I was sick. I’m just so happy for her!"
