B.C. woman plans to use $125K lotto prize to replace what she lost in floods

This photo provided by the BC Lottery Corporation shows a woman who recently won $125,000.

A Merritt woman who recently won $125,000 from a scratch-and-win game plans to use some of the jackpot to replace what she lost when catastrophic flooding hit the city.

According to a news release from the BC Lottery Corporation, Cindy Petroczi was shocked when she realized she won the top prize.

"I decided to treat myself to a ticket and was at the store and thought, ‘Holy crap is this real?'" she told BCLC, adding that the first person she called was her husband.

“I was in tears when I called him. I couldn’t believe it. Then he asked if I needed an escort home.”

In November of 2021, flooding forced the evacuation of the entire city of Merritt. The community of about 7,000 residents was one of the hardest hit by the disaster.

According to BCLC, Petroczi plans to use her winnings to help herself and her family cover the costs of some of what they haven't been able to recover or replace.

"I’m so grateful and thankful! This will be so nice after losing things in the flood,” she told the BCLC, also saying she hopes to put some money toward a vacation.

The odds of winning Treasure Tree's top prize of $125,000 are about one in 250,000.