January 2, 2009

Million Dollar Raffle Game Winning Ticket Claimed

The $1,000,000 top prize winner for the Rhode Island Lottery’s Million Dollar Raffle Game was claimed this morning by Cherie Faria and her family (photo attached).  The winning number was 1 0 4 6 0 9 sold from Stop & Shop at 200 Atwood Ave., Cranston. 

Cherie said she bought her ticket on New Year’s Eve after cashing in her check and doing her grocery shopping. On New Year’s day, they hadn’t looked up the winning number yet, so she and her husband joked throughout the day that they might be a million dollars richer.  Cherie’s husband, Michael, checked their ticket later that night when they were having dinner at Wright’s Chicken Farm and Cherie said she spent a half hour in the parking lot crying and laughing after her husband told her.  The couple came in to the Lottery with two of their sons, while the oldest one was still asleep at home.  Their oldest son, Michael Jr., goes to Rhode Island College, and her middle son, Justin, goes to the Community College of Rhode Island.  Their youngest son, Ryan, is still in high school, but Cherie said now he can go to college anywhere he’d like. 

After winning the million dollars, Cherie said she’s already called the daycare, where she was employed part time, to tell them she would not be working anymore.  Her husband, Michael, will continue to work at Gem Plumbing.  The family also plans to visit Cherie’s parents in Florida, now that they can afford the trip.   

In addition to the million dollar top prize, there are multiple prizes of $10,000 and $1,000.  Below is the list of Retailers that sold the winning tickets for the ten thousand dollar prizes for the Million Dollar Raffle Game.