Ann White, a grief and loss counselor from Bellevue, said it was only her second time buying a Mega Millions ticket. They say the third time is a charm, but Ann didn’t have to wait that long. She won $250,000 on the multi-state draw game.

“I know this is a little out of the ordinary … or a lot out of the ordinary!” she exclaimed.

White was on her way from one appointment to another when she stopped by a Seattle QFC to get some groceries for a long weekend getaway. On her way out, she bought five Mega Millions tickets.

“I had never bought five before,” White said. “And the fifth one was the winner.”

It would be a few days before she would check the tickets and realize she’d won. When she did check them she said, “My husband had to go online and look up how to play. I was pretty dubious about it until I called the Lottery.”

White recalled the first moment she knew she’d won, she was in the parking lot after a water aerobics class.

“I was surrounded by friends; I felt happy, surprised, excited, incredulous. I’ve never won anything before,” she said. “This is rare and wonderful, I must have a special angel.”

White has three kids, two of whom are getting married this year.

“This will come in handy,” she mused.

She also has two grandchildren she plans to help. But will White and her husband do anything for themselves? “We’re both 61, and we are looking forward to a time when we don’t have to work so hard,” she said. “And,” she added wistfully, “Last night I watched a travel show on Italy.”