“Verga Thomas Joins List of Winners from St. John”

ST. GEORGE’S – All in the same week, after playing the National Lotteries Authority’s Lotto game on Monday, 15^th January for a jackpot of $374,000, Verga Thomas, a mother of five of Mt. Plaisir, St. John received the jackpot prize on Saturday, 20^th January 2024 in front of an elated and appreciative crowd at Gouyave, St. John. The N.L.A.’s team was en route to completing their U’ Mus Win island-wide Motorcade, accompanied by the Grenada Bikers Club.  The quick stop saw the presentation occurring within one of the business hubs of Gouyave on Upper Depradine Street.

At the announcement of her winning, Ms. Thomas became very emotional, shedding tears of happiness while the audience clapped. The newest Lotto jackpot winner could not have emerged at a better time and with the most heartwarming stories from both the Winner and the Agent that touched the onlookers!

According to Ms. Thomas, who is an ardent player of all of the N.L.A.’s games, she had a few tickets to check but was a bit tardy in doing so.  She decided to have them checked after attending a funeral at Gouyave on Monday, 15^th January.  Upon checking her tickets at Agent Land ‘N’ Sea, Ms. Thomas found out that she won a free Lotto ticket by way of the free-ticket letter drawn matching the letter on her purchased Lotto ticket for the specific draw.  The quick-pick ticket generated by the sales terminal from her redemption contained the five numbers drawn for the Lotto Jackpot of that evening.  When asked how she felt when she found out that she had won, Ms. Thomas welled up again, managing to utter, “I was very happy.”

The Agent, had his own feel-good story about the somewhat divine role he played in Ms. Thomas’ luck on that said day.  According to the proprietor, Ouvell Modeste, his business was broken into which had him down for a short while; but as fate would have it, he opened the bar and gaming centre on that evening, in time for the winner to do her lottery transactions.  Mr. Modeste recounted that it was during his visit to the N.L.A.’s Main Office on Thursday, 17^th January that he learned that the Lotto Jackpot was won by someone who played at his business.  He stated, “God put me here at the right time no matter what had happened.  For every bad thing, there must be a good that comes out of it.  I am happy for her.”  With an encouraging embrace to Ms. Thomas, Mr. Modeste said, “At the end of the day, give thanks!”

According to the N.L.A.’s Marketing and Business Development Manager – Ms. Reecè Sam who presented the winner with her cheque, “When one wins so much money, it allows for their life to be changed in so many ways.”

A Jackpot-Seller Certificate was presented to the owner of Land ‘N’ Sea and onlookers were treated from the Agent’s bar, compliments of the National Lotteries Authority.  In presenting the certificate, Ms. Sam mentioned that this was not a first for St. John. “You have now joined the ranks of Agents who have sold a jackpot in Grenada, and in St. John.”