MARIKINA CITY – Like most Filipinos, alias Norilyn, a 31-year-old resident of Barangay Barangka, tempers her dreams with a dose of reality. For instance, she never thought about winning a fortune from buying Scratchit tickets. Her previous small win of P150 was even enough to make her smile.
So, imagine her excitement when last Sept. 12, 2025, on her way home from work, Norilyn stopped at a lottery outlet in San Roque. Though the outlet is roughly four kilometers from her home, its proximity to her workplace made it a convenient, occasional stop.
“When I saw all the numbers match, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. It felt like a dream, a very happy dream.”
Unlike a habitual bettor, Norilyn approached Scratchit tickets with cautious optimism, always mindful of the delicate balance of indulging in her pastime and her daily expenses.
“I only buy sometimes, when I have a little extra from my salary,” Norilyn shared, her voice still tinged with disbelief. “It’s a small thrill. But I never, in my wildest dreams, ever expected to win P200,000.”
“When I saw all the numbers match, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. It felt like a dream, a very happy dream.”
For someone earning a minimum wage and accustomed to budgeting every peso, the unexpected windfall presents another opportunity. And Norilyn is not about to allow it to pass her by.
To suddenly have this… It’s a blessing I can’t fully put into words,” she said.
Norilyn has a clear and determined plan for her winnings: to invest in a business since she doesn’t want the money to disappear just because she did not work hard for it.
While the exact nature of the business is still taking shape, her intentions are clear: “I want to grow the money to become a stable source of income for my family,” she explained.
Norilyn attributed her unexpected fortune not just to luck, but to a higher power. So, she encourages Scratchit buyers to include prayers because God sees their hearts. “You never know when God’s blessing and a little luck might decide to visit you one day,” she added.
