LOCAL WOMAN HITS SHOW ME 5; COLLECTS $25,000 IN WINNINGS

A Marble Hill woman is $25,000 richer after matching all five numbers in the Dec. 23 SHOW ME 5 drawing.

And although Sharon Wishner didn't know what her own lucky number was prior to playing, she soon discovered, with help from the computer, that deuces were wild.

The numbers 12, 20, 22, 25 and 27 matched up with Wishner's SHOW ME ticket.

She purchased the four tickets that day, but didn't realize she had won until Dec. 29, after returning from a visit to Venus, Florida.

"I asked my husband (Dan) if he checked the numbers," Wishner said. "He said that he won $10. After checking my own numbers, I couldn't believe it. My husband said I must have read off the wrong numbers."

The Wishners own and operate Country Corner store on Highway 51 north of Marble Hill.

She purchased tickets at their store. In order to help meet the store's quota, Wishner purchased four tickets.

"I usually get two at a time, but I decided to buy four this time because we have to meet a quota." Wishner said. "The fourth ticket was the winner."

Country Corner must sell a set amount of lottery tickets in order to remain a seller. Since the end fo the year was nearing, the Wishners were doing all they could to help meet the quota.

It was met, and they are $25,000 richer for doing so.

Actually, the prize was $36,764.70. But Uncle Sam got away with 32 percent of the winnings. Twenty-eight percent federal and four percent state taxes were withheld from the total prize amount. Depending on personal income, winners may owe additional taxes for the prize, or they may receive a refund.

Country Corner will get $250 of the winnings for selling the winning ticket.

Mrs. Wishner said she would use the money to finish rebuilding the inside of her house.

It's no surprise that many friends have come out of the woodwork since she came forward to claim her winnings.

Wishner said she would continue to play SHOW ME 5 and PICK 3, her two favorite games.

"You usually don't win as much money, but you win more often," she said.