“I didn’t know what to expect, but this far exceeds my expectations. This is wonderful to see all of Dad’s work displayed,” Mary Kalenits said.

Director Dennis Berg and a number of Lottery staffers were there to greet George when he arrived. They wanted to say thank you and get a glimpse of the 89-year-old who spent more than 30 years collecting tickets. George even shared a few stories about some of the other items he likes to collect.

George joked that he doesn’t play anymore, but on the way out he stopped and picked up five dollars worth of instants. The first $1 ticket he scratched was a $4 winner! That one, he said, wouldn’t be going into a collection.

Follow the link to see some of the presentation and hear from George.

Lee won $5,500 and entry into the top prize drawing on the Cash In ticket he purchased at Mickey mart in Wellington. He really cashed in with the top prize drawing by winning the $150,000 top prize!

Lee’s mom and dad helped set up the surprise at their home in Wellington. Lee’s dad took him out shopping for quad runners while the Top Prize Drawing crew snuck in to set up the surprise!

Lee plans to donate money to his church, help out his family and possibly buy the quad runner that he and his Dad looked at earlier that day. Congratulations, Lee!

DeAnna’s crowning as Mrs. Ohio was big news for the Coal Grove community that she and her family call home.  The Lawrence County village is at the southern tip of the state, bordering Ironton and across the Ohio River from Ashland, KY, with a population of about 2,160.  She is grateful for the community’s support.

She competed in pageants as a teen and support from a former Mrs. Ohio encouraged her to enter the pageant world again.  She says that preparing for the competition helped her reach a personal best.

A former cell phone company executive, she took another leap of faith leaving the corporate world to go into business with her husband Shawn.  Owners of a local convenience store and licensed as an Ohio Lottery retailer since November 2000, her family’s convenience store employs eight, including two fulltime employees.  During the past six years, Lottery sales have more than doubled — and as ticket sales and average ticket purchases have grown, so have the winners. The store has seen both $5,000 and $20,000 winners.

“In a small community, there’s a lot of celebration (for big winners),” she says. “I never thought we’d have that type of winner to celebrate.”

For six years, she’s also been a member of the Dawson-Bryant Local School District school board. She donates her school board salary to fund a college scholarship for a local high school senior interested in business management.

“I want to be part of the solution, not the person who can detail every single problem,” she says. “I like to get my hands dirty and make a difference.  I want this community to be a good place to live.”

2012 Mrs. Ohio, DeAnna Holliday. Photo credit: Rick Martinez, Studio RM

Holliday’s Quick Stop: offering great service and community pride. Left to right: employees Kelli, owner DeAnna Holliday, Mandy and Melissa.

ThistleDown has been around since 1925, but it has undergone an $88 million renovation that created a 57,000 sq. ft. gaming space with dining options and entertainment space. The gaming floor has 1,100 VLTs. Patrons will get the chance to walk through the doors of the newly renovated space on April 9, 2013 at 5 p.m. when ThistleDown Racino celebrates its grand opening. American Idol winner Taylor Hicks will kick off the festivities with a concert on opening night.

ThistleDown’s history is in horse racing, and simulcast racing is still available year round. The horse racing season kicks off April 19 and runs through November at Thistledown’s one-mile oval racetrack.

ThistleDown Racino will be the second to open under the VLT program overseen by the Ohio Lottery. Scioto Downs in Columbus opened last June.

Follow the link to learn more about ThistleDown Racino! http://www.caesars.com/thistledown/

Karen is home today recovering from the flu. She got through the Rolling Cash 5 drawing which is taped first for the web. Just before the live drawing at 7:30 she started feeling dizzy and sweaty, but she pushed through!

“I think it was a combination of nerves and feeling like I might get sick. I am glad and surprised I read the numbers correctly. By the time I got to the Pick 5 I felt like I might faint and completely zoned out. I don’t even remember Ryan (one of the crew members) coming to get me,” she said.

Karen says everyone was kind to her after the incident, and she is thankful to them and all of the viewers who were worried about her.

“I truly appreciate all the concern from the public. It’s nice to live in a state with so many good and caring people! I want everyone to know that I am completely fine. I just have a flu bug,” Karen said.

Get well soon, Karen!

On April 12 the Mega $$$ Multiplier Playbook will be on sale at your favorite Ohio Lottery retailer!The Mega $$$ Multiplier Playbook gives you six games with chances to multiply your prize by five, ten, 20, 50 and even 100 times! You could win up to $250,000!

As an online entrant, your ticket will be part of monthly bonus drawings for $100 and $1,000 prizes, and one special quarterly drawing for a single large prize!

What’s not to like about that?

Bonus drawings begin later this spring. Please note:  only current, non-expired entry tickets are eligible.

As of March 2013, that means Cash Explosion #878 and Cash Explosion #129 (starting March 18, 2013)  are eligible for bonus drawings.  Learn more here: http://www.cashexplosionshow.com/home/

Good luck!

Cash Explosion #129, on sale March 18.

Cash Explosion contestant, Melani Sprout

Join in the fun by tuning into Cash Explosion at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays on your local Ohio Lottery carrier station network!

 Good Afternoon Ken,

I just wanted to take a few minutes to really tell you and the rest of the amazing lottery gang how truly grateful Keith and I are for our experience with the Cash Explosion show!

 …Many people have said to me how lucky I am to have won $100,000.00 and yes I feel truly blessed. But I felt that the whole experience was just more than winning money. I met some really amazing people while I was down recording the show. I felt so privileged to have met the other contestants and to have heard their stories and to have shared mine as well.

 …When we came back from taping the show a few weeks later we paid off all of our debt and for the first time ever planned a family vacation to Florida! 

 …We are still both working 2 jobs and my cleaning business has picked up 3 new customers, so we are staying busy, but a financial burden has certainly been lifted off of our shoulders.

 …I really wanted to say to all of you “Thank You So Very Much”.

 Sincerely,

Melani A. Sprout