A woman from Allegheny County recently won a luxury trip to the Super Bowl through the Pennsylvania Lottery\u2019s Second-Chance Drawing. <\/p>\n
Joanne Dimitt and her husband, Mike, traveled to Northern California for the event, which was titled \u201cThe Big Game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple, who have been married for 28 years, are retired from the car rental industry. The prize package included high-end accommodations, celebrity meet-and-greets and exclusive access to events surrounding the championship game.<\/p>\n
Dimitt recalled the moment she learned about her win and her initial hesitation to accept the prize. Though she was nervous about the scale of the trip, her husband encouraged her to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen the phone rang. It was the Lottery. They told me I had won. At first, I didn\u2019t even want to go. I was nervous. It felt too big, too fancy, too much. But Mike looked at me and said, \u2018We\u2019re going.\u2019 And I\u2019m so glad he did,\u201d Dimitt said.<\/p>\n
Upon arriving in Northern California, the couple stayed at a hotel located across the street from the Seattle Seahawks. They spent time visiting local landmarks such as Fisherman\u2019s Wharf in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything \u2014 from the moment we arrived to the minute we left \u2014 felt first class,\u201d Dimitt said. \u201cAfter the Hall of Fame luncheon, we went to Fisherman\u2019s Wharf in San Francisco, just walking around and taking it all in. The ocean air, the noise, the excitement \u2014 it felt like a movie.\u201d<\/p>\n
A highlight for the couple was a luncheon where they met former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann. Dimitt is a lifelong fan of the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a lifelong Steelers fan, so sitting there, just a few feet away from him, felt surreal,\u201d Dimitt said.<\/p>\n
The trip also featured high-end dining, including a meal at a Brazilian steakhouse on their first night.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first night we had a feast at a Brazilian steakhouse. Lobster, endless cuts of meat \u2014 I couldn\u2019t believe it,\u201d Dimitt said. \u201cI remember thinking, \u2018I almost didn\u2019t come.\u2019 And there I was, laughing with Mike, feeling like royalty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before the game at Levi\u2019s Stadium, the couple attended a private tailgate. The exclusive area featured couches and velvet ropes and the winners were provided with wrist tags for fast-track entry into the stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen came the moment we walked up to Levi\u2019s Stadium,\u201d Dimitt said. \u201cThe energy outside was electric. We had a private tailgate before the game \u2014 velvet ropes, couches, everything roped off. It felt like we were celebrities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once inside the stadium, the Dimitts found themselves seated close to the field during the championship game.<\/p>\n
\u201cInside the stadium, we assumed our seats would not be close to the field, but we were wrong. When we got to our section, we realized we had good seats. Really good seats. The crowd roared, fireworks exploded overhead and the energy was something I\u2019ll never forget,\u201d Dimitt said.<\/p>\n
The Dimitts traveled to events on a party bus with five other winners from the same drawing. The group formed friendships during the various scheduled activities.<\/p>\n
This was not the first time Dimitt won a prize through a lottery drawing. Years earlier, she won tickets to a taping of \u201cAmerican Idol\u201d but opted for a cash prize to pay for home repairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cYears ago, we won tickets to see American Idol, but I chose the cash option because we needed a new furnace and air conditioning,\u201d Dimitt said. \u201cBut that was the year Carrie Underwood won. It would have been awesome to see, but we needed some home renovations.\u201d<\/p>\n
During their careers in the car rental industry, the couple occasionally encountered famous figures such as Mark Zuckerberg, Loni Anderson and Franco Harris. Dimitt specifically remembered the time her manager asked her to deliver a Cadillac to country singer Dwight Yoakam.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love country music \u2014 so that was a thrill all on its own!\u201d Dimitt said. \u201cWe used to see Zuckerberg come through. One time Anderson and her son rented a car. We saw Harris.\u201d Dimitt added that she was able to get an autograph from Yoakam during their meeting.<\/p>\n
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