ATLANTIC WINS

N.L. couple celebrates 20th wedding anniversary with Set for Life top-prize win

Stephanie and Shawn Strickland of Burgeo, N.L. are kicking off their 20th year of marriage with a Set for Life top-prize win.

“We’re 45, we’ve been married 20 years this year, so this is a big anniversary gift,” Stephanie said. “Things like this just don’t happen to me, it’s crazy.”

The couple recently learned of this gift when settling in for a regular evening at home. Shawn decided it was time to tackle the dishes just as Stephanie sat down to scratch the Set for Life ticket she purchased earlier that day.

Shawn hadn’t even begun when something caught Stephanie’s eye.

“I saw two Set for Life symbols. I scratched a bit more and saw more words and thought, ‘Is this what I actually see?'” Stephanie said.

She immediately handed the ticket to her husband to look at, needing confirmation that she wasn’t imagining this big win.

“He looked at it, flipped it over, went back to the other side, and back again,” Stephanie said. “He turned around and said, ‘You won Set for Life!’ and I said, ‘I did, didn’t I?’ and we just started screeching.”

Atlantic Lottery’s Set for Life is a $4 Scratch’N Win ticket that offers two options for the top prize. Winners can choose to receive $1,000 a week for 25 years, or a lump sum payment of $675,000. The Stricklands opted to receive the lump sum payment.

Besides celebrating their anniversary, plans for their winnings include paying off their vehicles, sharing with family, investing and travel. The couple looks forward to visiting Alberta first, where Shawn’s brother lives and the couple spent a year during the beginning of their relationship.

Strickland purchased the winning Set for Life ticket at Foodland in Burgeo, N.L. The seller will receive a one per cent seller’s prize.