Media-ready jpg image of Albert Griffin Jr.

Microsoft Word document of news release

DATE: September 11, 2009
CONTACT: Karie Lowe (785) 296-5744, karie.lowe@kslottery.net

No Joke – Junction City Man Wins $22,000

TOPEKA, KAN. – Everyone who knows Albert Griffin Jr. realizes he likes to play 2by2 and Pick 3 every day. Thursday morning while at work, the Junction City resident joked with co-workers about winning a large prize. Unbeknownst to him, he actually had won a large prize. Griffin matched both Red numbers and both White numbers in the September 9 2by2 drawing, winning a $22,000 top prize.

“When I was joking around, I had no idea that I had a $22,000 winning ticket,” said Griffin. “Later that day, I checked my tickets on a Check-A-Ticket machine and it read, ‘Sign back of ticket. Claim at Lottery.’ I couldn’t figure out what was going on, so I scanned my ticket again. When it read the same thing, I knew I must have won something big.”

Griffin still didn’t realize how much he did win until a clerk at the store verified his win.

“When she scanned my ticket on their machine, she asked me if I knew how much I’d won,” said Griffin. “I told her I must have won $2,000. She looked at me and said, ‘No, you won $22,000!’”

Even though Griffin was very excited about his win he kept it a secret for a couple of days.

“I didn’t tell anyone until today,” said Griffin. “I called my brother Keith this morning to see if he’d like to make the trip to Topeka with me this afternoon. His reply was, ‘Why, did you win the Lottery?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I did!”

Griffin, who is single, plans to pay bills with his prize money.

“I knew if I kept at it, I’d win,” said Griffin. “I’m too optimistic to not win.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Handy’s 5, located at 1101 Whitney in Junction City.