2017 Press Releases

Millsboro Man Turns $50 Win Into $10,000 Playing the Delaware Lottery’s Instant Game, $250,000 Cash

(DOVER, DE) — George Niblett, a 61-year-old man born and raised in Millsboro, Delaware, learned an important lesson in reinvestment. Niblett went to his hometown store at Bodie’s Market in Millsboro on Saturday morning, May 6, to purchase a $10 Instant Game and his usual PLAY 3 and PLAY 4 day tickets. To George’s surprise, he won $50 on the Instant Game ticket. He reinvested the money into a $25 Instant Game ticket and left the Lottery Retailer winning $10,000 in the Delaware Lottery’s Instant Game, $250,000 Cash.

“The guys at the store tell me I’m pretty lucky,” said Niblett, who is married with three sons and five grandchildren. “I got the ticket and went back out to my truck and stared at it for 10 minutes in pure shock.” It was his largest win to date.

Niblett said he generally stops at Bodie’s Market before or after work to purchase his PLAY 3 and PLAY 4 tickets, and occasionally an Instant Game. He’s been playing his father’s favorite numbers and the last four digits of his home phone number in the PLAY 3 and PLAY 4 games for 10 years. Those numbers are extra special to him, especially since his father isn’t with him anymore.

“When I got home from the store, I immediately woke up my wife,” said Niblett. “Of course she didn’t believe me at first, but once she realized it was real, she started making her dream wish list.”

Niblett plans to use the money to pay off a few bills, then put the rest into savings. By chance, it was his granddaughter?s birthday the day he won, so she got something a little extra special with the prize money.

The winner claimed his $10,000 prize at Lottery Headquarters on Monday, May 8.

About the Delaware Lottery

Since the start of operations in 1975, the Delaware Lottery has contributed more than $4.7 billion to the state’s General Fund to help finance needed state services that benefit everyone in Delaware. The Lottery offers a variety of games: POWERBALL®, MEGA MILLIONS®, HOT LOTTO®, MULTI-WIN LOTTO, LUCKY FOR LIFE™, PLAY 3, PLAY 4, Keno, iGaming and assorted Instant Games, Video Lottery, Sports Lottery, and Table Games. Delaware Lottery game and promotional details are available at www.delottery.com, at licensed locations and from the Lottery’s office in Dover.

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