After learning that they had won substantial prizes, many winners have talked about their feelings of surprise and happiness. One Sikkim small-town winner, for example, described how they had bought a ticket on the spur of the moment while running errands. Later that night, they were overcome with emotion upon seeing that they had won first prize when they looked at the results. This unanticipated windfall demonstrated the significant influence lottery winnings can have on families by enabling them to invest in their children’s education and pay off debt. A group of friends who combined their funds to purchase several tickets for a draw provide another gripping tale.