It didn’t take long for restaurant supervisor Sharel Allen to decide what she’ll do with the $577,000 she won in the Georgia Lottery’s Power 7’s instant game.
“I plan to pay off my mortgage, my car note and my credit card bills,” said Allen as she accepted the winnings from lottery officials Tuesday. And she'll save some of the winnings.
Allen, who has won smaller amounts before, bought the scratch-off Saturday at the Cascade Food Mart on Cascade Road in southwest Atlanta. “I couldn’t believe it, so I showed the clerk,” the 40-year-old mother said.
Allen was one of two big-dollar metro Atlanta winners announced Tuesday. Jennifer Desai, 24, of Fayetteville, a mom-to-be, won $225,000 playing the Cash Crop instant game.
Desai, who works at a car dealership, described her and husband, Tyrone, as "a hard-working, young family." They'll use some of the money to finish fixing up their new home and getting ready for their second child in November.
Desai said she bought the winning ticket at the Texaco Food Mart on W. Fayetteville Road in College Park.
Allen won the maximum on the Power 7’s ticket. A player scratches off the entire play area of the ticket and if a black “7” is found the player wins what’s shown. In Allen’s case, the figure $577,000.
Allen said she was born in Columbus but moved to Atlanta about 25 years ago. She said she’s been playing scratch-offs for six years, and has had a $2,500 winning ticket, a $1,600 ticket, and several $1,000 tickets.
In addition to paying off bills, Allen says she also plans to buy her 21-year-old and 18-year-old new cars.
And despite the winnings, Allen said she’ll keep her day job, and “I believe I’ll keep scratching.”
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