Grandfather of 7 to ring in New Year with $104,000

ATLANTA – Bethel Pippin got his first look at what the new year will bring since winning a prize from the Georgia Lottery. Pippin won $2,010 a week for one year, totaling a top prize of $104,520 playing the instant game 2010 Cash Celebration.

While on his way to Florida, Pippin, 75, stopped at Shell Food Mart, located at 264 Powers Ferry Road S.E. in Marietta, for a ticket and gas. He scratched it in his car.

I said, 'Oh my goodness,' ” he recalled. "Then I went on to Florida and had a very nice weekend."

Pippin is a resident of Cookeville, Tenn. He has no immediate plans for himself.

"I've got seven grandkids," he shared. "I'll give them money."

Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has returned more than $11.2 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs including Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia's Pre-K Program. More than 1.2 million students have received HOPE, and more than 940,000 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.