Who has won a high value prize?

[Wonka]

In 2006, I would occasionally play penny slot machines at an off-shore (but well-known reputable) Internet casino. Every week for 25 weeks, two players were randomly chosen and their "casino nickname" was posted on the bulletin board on Monday morning (to be followed by a phone call, of course). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that "tuggy" was a winner. Bet you can't guess why I chose that name .

So what was the prize? Each winner was provided with round trip first class airfare for two to Ft. Lauderdale. There we were picked up by limo and brought to a VIP check-in desk for a 7 night Caribbean cruise. While on the cruise, a slot tournament would be held and one of the 100 winners would leave the ship with a $250,000. lump sum cash payment. For months I had the pleasure of fantasizing that it might be me! One in a hundred--those are good odds. I spent many happy moments deciding what luxuries I could purchase if I won.

We were assigned balcony suites. The 200 casino winners/guests had been flown in from all over the world, including Germany, England, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, plus Hawaii and many U.S. states. One woman from Alaska, who was afraid to fly, had driven all the way to Florida with a lady friend. The casino agreed to give her $5,000. toward the gas and lodging (in lieu of the first class airfare). The first names and place of residence of each guest was displayed on golden plaques hung on the door of each stateroom, making it easy for people to get to know one another. We were all in adjacent cabins on a high deck.

We received elaborate gift packages, vouchers for free spa treatments, group dinners and events, and a separate tender to take us to and from shore on demand--no waiting in line.

Our group also had a private section of the cruise line's island reserved for them. We feasted on lobster and filet mignon, and had unlimited free drinks while the rest of the cruisers on the other half of the island ate hot dogs and hamburgers. We had private cabanas, and free access to all water sports equipment. Waiters kept coming by with trays of delicacies and desserts. No tipping allowed. The casino had taken care of that. We had a live band and dancers, while the "peasants" over yonder heard recorded music.

Of all the people on board, hubby and I bonded with a newlywed couple, "second timers" with 6 children between them from their first marriages. Four of the children were in college and the couple was working two jobs, seven days a week, to keep up with the bills. You guessed it--she won the $250,000. I came in around 30th place and won a $1,000. "booby prize."

The total dollar value of my cruise and cash prize was not huge but the experience and memories are priceless!

Another great win!! We have some lucky Tugger's!!

With my luck, I'd win an cruise to Somalia off the pirate coast.

 

[Don]

We got back Sat. night from a week at Wyndham Grand Desert. On the previous Sun., we went casino hopping around the area where the free shuttle lets off at Harrah's. We saw that Elton John was opening Tues. night for the last engagement of his "Red Piano" tour at Ceaser's. My wife said that if we won enough money on the (penny) slots we ought to go.
About two hours later she had racked up almost $200 before she cashed out. We saw the Wed. night concert.

 

[MuranoJo]

$800 on a progressive 5-cent slot. Used to take my auntie there when she was still alive and we had our favorite slots. Mine was the Clint Eastwood Progressive, and I put it towards a travel trailer TV and who knows what.

 

[daveh]

ice cream party

I won a neighborhood ice cream party from Edy's last year for writing an essay. It's easy to win and they are accepting entries again now.

Conni

 

[Kay H]

I used to be pretty lucky but not recently. In AC casinos i've won, at different times, $4,000 (twice). $1,000. $700. In Las Vegas I won $700 and on a tug cruise in one night I won a $500, $450, and a 3rd which I can't remember the amount.

My sons attended a small Catholic elementary school and at the poorly attended PTA meetings, they sold tickets for a (donated) small prize. I won so many in a row that it was embarrassing.

In St Martin another Tugger and I went to a casino the first night and I won $250. I used that for my slot money all week and went home with at least that amt.

My sister's church had a $10 club and I won a weekend in NYC.

Somewhere along the way, my luck has run out.

 

[Wonka]

I used to be pretty lucky but not recently. In AC casinos i've won, at different times, $4,000 (twice). $1,000. $700. In Las Vegas I won $700 and on a tug cruise in one night I won a $500, $450, and a 3rd which I can't remember the amount.

My sons attended a small Catholic elementary school and at the poorly attended PTA meetings, they sold tickets for a (donated) small prize. I won so many in a row that it was embarrassing.

In St Martin another Tugger and I went to a casino the first night and I won $250. I used that for my slot money all week and went home with at least that amt.

My sister's church had a $10 club and I won a weekend in NYC.

Somewhere along the way, my luck has run out.

Hopefully, your luck is just on a brief "hiatus".

 

[Pat H]

I don't normally tell people this because I don't want them to think that I have money. My father and his 4 siblings won $9.6 million in the NJ lottery in 1993. At that time they could only get an annuity, there was no lump sum payment.

It was a godsend for my parents. My father had retired at 62 thinking he could live on Social Security and the little savings they had. My mother had to keep working part-time as a school nurse in what was probably the worst school district in NJ. They were at the point where they were going to have to sell their home when they won the lottery. My mother finally got to retire at 72!

 

[Don]

On our last cruise to Belize, I won the morning drawing at Diamonds Int'l for the sapphire and diamond necklace. At the afternoon drawing,for the same necklace, I almost won again. The ship was right, the last name was right, but the first name was Donna. Since you had to be present to win and she wasn't, they drew another name. My wife's.

 

[optimist]

Many years ago, I won two free tickets a year to a Broadway show of my choice for life. The value of the prize will depend on how long I live

 

[DebBrown]

Many years ago, I won two free tickets a year to a Broadway show of my choice for life. The value of the prize will depend on how long I live

I like this one!

My aunt used to win contest all the time. She was a very lucky woman! I remember going to her house many times and seeing piles of groceries or something in her living room from her winnings.

A couple of years ago, we won a raffle at our high school booster club dance. We won a big old TV, a cheap DVD player and a set of leather stadium seats. Luckily, we were allowed to trade the seats for a nice recliner.

Deb

 

[Wonka]

Wow! You're Dad's win certainly is the highest so far! Hopefully, there's still a substantial remainder available to the children. If so, the drinks are on you the next time we meet. If not, I'll buy.

 

[stmartinfan]

I've never won big, but we have gotten a few nice "perks" by going to the Sunday morning orientation session and the manager's cocktail party at Divi Little Bay. They always have a raffle for "buy one/get one free" or reduced price tickets for island attractions like catamaran trips, snorkeling trips or horseback riding, gifts from the onsite jewelry store, meals at the restaurant, etc. Over the 10 years we've gone, we've probably gotten a couple hundred dollars of value for excursions - things on our "to try" list that we would have paid full price for. I even got a cute "flip/flip" silver pendant last year. It's been a nice little bonus for our vacation the years we won - and they have free rum punch!

 

[tlwmkw]

A friend's mother won the "Irish Sweepstakes" (am I showing my age now?) which was a high dollar lottery years ago. She lived off it for the rest of her life- I don't know exactly the amount but it was a large amount in those days- probably wouldn't sound so much now.

 

[frankhi]

I won $2500 in a superbowl pool a while ago, but my favorite is when I found a $500 chip on the floor at Mandalay Bay. I wasn't about to yell out "Hey, anybody drop this"....

 

[anniemac]

I bought a service club raffle ticket for $100 with little thought of winning - just trying to help the club buy equipment for a local school - but got a call at midnight on New Year's Eve after their drawing and was told I had won the grand prize of $10,000. I later found out that when there were two contestants remaining in the drawing and prior to the final draw, the final two contestants could have agreed to split the money 50/50 with each taking home $5,000. I'm sure that I would have gone for that -so staying at home paid off

 

[ricoba]

I won big in Vegas last weekend by not playing any machines or table games!

 

[Texasbelle]

Ten years ago we won a trip to the Daytona 500 which included airfare for 4. 2 hotel rooms in Orlando Adam's Mark, rental Lincoln [could have had 2 cars], bus to race, 4 tickets for the 400 and 500 races, some spending money. We flew from Houston, sis and husband flew from Sioux City. Brother and wife went to the race with us. They live in Orlando. Great family reunion. It was a General Mills contest. Our win was the second chance drawing from Cheerios, which means someone did not claim the prize in a box of Cheerios. We paid taxes on $10,000 I think. Husband's parents won a trip to Hawaii from Birdseye in the 1950s.

 

[Kay H]

I won big in Vegas last weekend by not playing any machines or table games!

:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:

 

[Sandy VDH]

A friend's mother won the "Irish Sweepstakes" (am I showing my age now?) which was a high dollar lottery years ago. She lived off it for the rest of her life- I don't know exactly the amount but it was a large amount in those days- probably wouldn't sound so much now.

My friends grandmother also won the Irish Sweepstakes back in the 1920s. They purchased a 1.5 acre lakefront lot with over 200' of shoreline on Stony Lake, just north of Peterborough in Ontario. They are the next to last property on a pennisula, so they have lakefront in front and nice docks and swim access and bayfront in back where there storage docks are. They also built a cabin in the 20s, which is not much different today then when it was built. Some updates here and there and lots of paint, but no winterization as of yet. Don't know how much the winning were but the property is worth a nice sum now.


Longtime friends of my parents won the Ontario Lotto for $31M CAN $. They won it about two years ago.

 

[Wonka]

We have lots of "lucky" folks here, huh?

 

[Htoo0]

I think we're all lucky to be here on TUG. :whoopie:

 

[Glynda]

I won $200 worth of Birds Eye frozen vegetables in the form of free coupons that could be used for one year in an online contest. I won a NFL jacket, some match box cars and a bathing suit in other online contest. I've entered contests online daily for a number of years but apparently don't have the good luck of the posters above.

I'm not allowed to be specific yet, but had to tell that after many years of entering contests, I did finally win a grand prize from reputable, well recognized, sponsors!!! It's valued at over $15,000 and includes a trip and cash! After taxes and taking the trip...we might just break even...still finally...