HELENA – Loreen Skinner, of Helena, claimed a $30,000 Hot Lotto prize on Thursday.
Skinner purchased her ticket at Albertson’s on north Montana Avenue in Helena.
Loreen is a registered nurse and also works actively with the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, finding homes for older dogs and dogs that have trouble being placed with families.
Loreen went to a Lottery retailer to purchase a Powerball ticket when she heard that the jackpot had reached $360 million and that is what prompted her to check her Hot Lotto ticket. When the clerk scanned her ticket and told her that she needed to file a claim with the Lottery office she immediately called her husband, who checked the Lottery website and told her she had won $30,000!
Being the giving person that she is, Loreen plans on donating most of her winnings to her one true passion, rescuing dogs. She has already given $1,000 to a friend who is currently struggling financially.
The Hot Lotto jackpot is estimated at $4.4 million for Saturday’s drawing.
The Montana Lottery was created by referendum in 1986. Since then, it has paid more than $483 million in prizes and returned more than $217 million to the State of Montana.
