News Release

Gopher 5® Numbers Finally Pay Off

Bovey Resident Wins $120,000 Jackpot

April 22 - Bovey resident Linda Thoennes and her husband have been playing the same five sets of numbers for every Gopher 5 drawing since the game began in 1991. On April 18, the fifth set of numbers on their ticket matched the numbers drawn (1-18-23-28-32) to win the $120,000 jackpot.

Thoennes said her husband came home from work, checked the winning Gopher 5 numbers from the April 18 drawing and asked her, “How would you like to take a road trip?” She asked him what he meant, and he told her, “We hit the Gopher 5!” On April 21 Thoennes and her sister drove to Lottery headquarters in Roseville to claim the prize.

The Thoenneses no longer need to look at their ticket when they check the winning numbers. “We’ve been playing the numbers so long we have them memorized,” Thoennes said.  

The winning ticket was purchased at Guyer’s Corner Store, 36971 State Highway 65 in Nashwauk.

Gopher 5 is Minnesota’s own cash lotto for which players pick five numbers from 1 to 47 for a chance to win a jackpot of at least $100,000. The odds of matching all five numbers to win the jackpot are 1 in 1,533,939. The odds are 1 in 7,304 for matching four of five numbers to win $500; 1 in 178 for matching three of five numbers to win $15; and 1 in 13 for matching two of five numbers to win $1. The approximate overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 12.

Lottery players must be 18 years of age or older. Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know needs help with a gambling problem, call (800) 333-HOPE.

For Scratch and Online games information, winning numbers, unclaimed prizes, and lots more, you can call our Player Hotline 651-634-1111 or browse this Web site.

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