Lotto winner didn’t know he won
Fifty-one year old Noel Escalante is best known for his photographic displays but today this tax auditor from the Belize Tourism Board is fifty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars richer after becoming the latest lotto jackpot winner. Escalante told News 5’s Jacqueline Woods that although his numbers played on December eleventh, he did not find out until one week later, after he visited the company’s office to buy…you guessed it–more lotto tickets.
Noel Escalante, 57,500 Lotto Winner
?I came to buy lotto for this week and when I noticed on the billboard under the counter of the Lotto Office, I noticed that the number for last week Saturday?s Jackpot seems to match with the ticket that I had in my hand. I still wasn?t sure because I wasn?t sure what drawing it was. I looked at the first number it matched, I looked at the second number and it matched, the third and by the time I reached the fourth, I felt a little fluttering in my heart and I start to feel my heart pounding. So I turned my ticket over to the salesperson and I said kindly check this for me. She gave me a riled little smile and she said Merry Christmas and then I knew I had won.?
Jacqueline Woods
?How long you?ve been playing Lotto??
Noel Escalante
?I guess from the time the Lotto Office was on North Front Street, downstairs at the Belize Estate I started playing the Lotto. I stop expecting to win and just bought it out of habit and this time it just worked out well for me.?
Jacqueline Woods
?Any immediate plans about how you are going to spend the money??
Noel Escalante
?Well, I will be donating to a few charities. I believe that since I?ve been blessed, the best thing to do is to share the blessings with others especially at Christmas time. I want to build a fence for my yard. I had that in mind for a long time but I just haven?t been able to gather the money. Of course, I will be fixing up my exhibition that I have half way down. It should be coming out hopefully next month in January. I will be celebrating my twenty-fifth anniversary next year. So I guess I can take my wife and my family on a long over due vacation.?
Escalante says he spent only six dollars buying three quick picks. The lucky numbers are 06-20-27-30 and 33. Escalante, who is married with two children, takes home forty-eight thousand, eight hundred and seventy five dollars, following the fifteen percent tax deduction. But as one winner today claimed his prize, there is yet another lucky gambler who has not yet discovered his good fortune. Tropical Gaming Company says someone is holding the winning ticket from Saturday’s draw for fifty-two thousand, five hundred dollars. So you are urged to check your tickets to see if you have the numbers 09-11-17-27 and 32 and report to Lotto headquarters as soon as possible.
