LANSING, September 19, 2003 – Samia Darwish of Rockingham, NC was watching television when she received the surprise of a lifetime.  While watching the news, she learned she had matched five of six numbers in the Michigan Lottery’s WINFALL drawing on Saturday, August 30 to win a $21,170 prize!  The winning numbers for that drawing were: 4, 8, 19, 34, 37 and 44.

In total for the August 30, 2003 WINFALL drawing, there were 30 lucky winners who will each receive $21,170 for matching five numbers; 1,327 winners who will each receive $1,005 for matching four numbers; and 23,943 winners who will each receive $50 for matching three numbers.

Darwish, who works at Sandhills Internal Medicine, purchased the winning ticket at House of Cognac, 7911 Schaefer Road, in Dearborn.  She chose her winning number combination based upon the numbers on an old lottery ticket she recently found.

“I saw the winning numbers broadcast on television,” she said.  “I was stunned to learn the winning numbers matched the numbers on my ticket.  I was so excited to win that I called everyone I knew!”

The 29-year-winner, who said she enjoys collecting bears in her free time, said she kept the winning ticket in her purse at all times to ensure its safety prior to turning it in at the Lottery’s regional office in Dearborn Heights.  She added that she and her husband, Amir, plan to invest the winnings for the future.

WINFALL drawings are held twice a week – Wednesday and Saturday – at 7:29 p.m., and the cost to play is $1 per wager.  Tickets are available at more than 7,200 Lottery retailers statewide.  Since it was created in 1972, the Michigan Lottery has transferred more than $11 billion to the state School Aid Fund, which supports K-12 public education in the state of Michigan.

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