ORIENT, OH — For decades, John Gardiner dreamed of seeing his name in lights on the Ohio Lottery’s Cash Explosion TV show. After years of entering with no luck, he finally tried a different strategy: entering his mother’s name instead.
That gamble paid off in a big way. When the mother-son duo sat down to watch the broadcast recently, they were stunned to see the name Kathy Harvey flash across the screen as an upcoming contestant. Remarkably, it was the very first ticket submission Gardiner had ever entered on her behalf.
A Last-Minute Change of Heart
When it came time for the TV appearance, Harvey brought her son along to share the spotlight. She originally intended to play a set of numbers based on a different sequence but made a gut-level switch at the podium to 2-3-23.
The numbers held deep family significance: 23 was her mother’s favorite number, 2 represented her two children, and 3 stood for her three grandchildren. The sentimental choice proved lucrative; Harvey uncovered both 2X and 3X bonuses, skyrocketing her total winnings to $46,400.
Sharing the Wealth
After mandatory state and federal taxes, Harvey will take home $33,988. True to her word, she is splitting the windfall with her son, John, as a thank-you for entering her into the draw…