Connecticut couple finds $100,000 winning lottery ticket stashed in their car

Sept. 11 (UPI) -- A couple in Connecticut found a $100,000 winning lottery ticket tucked away in the sun visor of their car.

Frank Laquitara and Debbie Long-Combs were driving to Virginia to visit family when she received an email about a winning lottery ticket sold in the state and decided to check the tickets they had stored in the car.

"Frank checked the tickets while I read the numbers off of the email -- we matched our four numbers, plus the Powerball," said Long-Combs.

Long-Combs said the couple was in disbelief after finding they had purchased the winning ticket.

"We didn't believe it, even after I repeated the numbers twice and checked the ticket with the lottery's mobile app," she said. "And we didn't tell anybody either, just in case we were wrong. We didn't want to jinx it!"

The Connecticut Lottery said the couple was able to double their prize because Laquitara added a Power Play to the ticket.

Long-Combs said the timing on the windfall was "impeccable."

"Frank really needs a new car and we couldn't use our boat all summer because we need a new motor," she said.