The lucky winner, Ruth Schultz of Allegheny County, said she was heading to work one day and decided to use part of her winnings from a previously purchased Powerball® ticket to purchase a New Year’s Millionaire Raffle ticket.

“I didn’t check the results the night of the final January 6 drawing. I went to bed early,” said Schultz. “The next morning, I opened the app. I must have looked at it a thousand times, it was surreal!”

Schultz found out she won $1 million!

“I took a moment to pause and thank God for helping me and my family,” said Schultz, who said she plans to use the prize money to help pay for her children’s college tuition and pay off some bills.

“I’m grateful and still shaken!” she added.

“Congratulations to Ruth for winning a top prize on the New Year’s Millionaire Raffle, which has become a Pennsylvania Lottery player favorite,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “Proceeds from ticket sales help provide older Pennsylvanians with things like warm meals, fellowship at senior centers, prescription assistance, rent and property tax rebates, and so much more throughout the year.”

The January 6 New Year’s Millionaire Raffle drawing awarded 6,000 cash prizes totaling more than $5 million: four $1 million prizes, four $100,000 prizes, 100 prizes of $1,000, and 5,892 prizes of $100. The raffle also featured eight weekly drawings that each awarded two prizes of $50,000, leading up to the January 6 drawing.

The Pennsylvania Lottery’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle game has created 136 new millionaires since it debuted in 2005.

To determine if they have won a prize, players can review the ticket, scan it at a Lottery retailer, or use the Ticket Checker feature on the Lottery’s Official App. Winners should immediately sign the back of the ticket, call the Lottery at 1-800-692-7481 and file a claim at the nearest Lottery office.

See Millionaire Raffle 33 Drawing Winning Numbers >
 

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About Us: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery to direct all proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since ticket sales began in 1972, it has contributed more than $35.1 billion to fund property tax and rent rebates, transportation, care services, prescription assistance, and local services including senior centers and meals. The Pennsylvania Lottery operates as a bureau within the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.

Visit the Winners and Benefits pages at palottery.com to review how much money each county receives in Lottery prizes and funding to benefit older Pennsylvanians.

Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) for help with a compulsive gambling problem.

Visit palottery.com for winning numbers, rules, chances of winning, and to join the VIP Players Club to play online or enter for second chances to win. Install our Official App, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @PALottery. Use the hashtag #palottery to share your messages with us.