BOISE, Idaho ÔÇô For years, Mike Middlemiss and his son Chris Middlemiss from the Salt Lake Valley have shared buying their Idaho Lottery tickets with the promise that if they won big, they would split their winnings. Saturday night, one of their tickets matched all five of the first numbers on a Powerball ticket and won them $1,000,000.

"It was my birthday, and my family and I were returning from Lava Hot Springs and we stopped at the brand new Kwik Stop store in Malad to pick up our tickets on the way home," described Chris about purchasing a ten draw Powerball ticket back in late June. Although they had a big winner, their ten draw Powerball ticket still has a few draws remaining on it.

Chris is a paramedic who works long, hard hours while his wife is attending school. The couple has rented places to live in the south Salt Lake Valley and finally found a piece of property they wanted to purchase. Their stumbling block was coming up with the funds to make a down payment. Just last Friday night, the couple was working for creative ways to raise the necessary funds. Then came the call from Chris' father Mike that they had won a $1,000,000 Powerball prize.

"This could not have come at a better time for my family," added Chris.

"I always thought that someday we'd win big," said Mike who had the tickets and checked them on Sunday afternoon. "Maybe we'll win the jackpot with one of the remaining draws on our ticket."

In addition to making a down payment on their property, Chris and his wife have plans to retire some student loan debt. Mike is planning to help family with his winnings and save for retirement.

For their part in selling the winning ticket, Kwik Stop in Malad will receive a bonus from the Idaho Lottery for $20,000.

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