LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County woman became a millionaire after buying a winning scratch-off ticket.
Lakeland resident Geraldine Gimblet won the $2 million prize from the Bonus Cashword Scratch-Off game. She claimed her winnings at the Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, which she chose to receive as a lump-sum payment of $1,645,000.
Gimblet purchased her ticket from Beverage Castle, located on Pipkin Road in Lakeland. The store will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
"At first, the gas station clerk thought there were no tickets left, but I asked him to double check because I like the crossword games the best. He found the last one," Gimblet said.
Her daughter added that the day before her mother bought the ticket, she completed her last treatment for breast cancer.
"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," she said. "My mom had taken out her life savings to take care of me when I was sick. I'm just so happy for her!"
