There is a saying that you have to spend money to make money. This was definitely true for Dale Bush.
The Auburn resident was awarded $25,000 this week as part of a contest run by M&T Bank. The Fantastic Plastic Sweepstakes awarded cash prizes to customers who used their debit cards for purchases during November and December.
Along with Bush, 12 other M&T customers won prizes of $10,000, $5,000 and $1,000. Bush received his check Monday during an announcement at the bank's Auburn chapter.
According to M&T representatives, Bush had a one-in-18 million chance to win the top sum.
“I had never won anything of this magnitude before,” said Bush, 60. “It was just overwhelming to realize that you have won this amount.”
Bush said he has already put aside 20 percent for taxes, and has used some of the money to pay off bills. He said he is also using some to help his son complete a mission trip to Africa.
“I still have some just sitting there waiting to determine what I am going to do with it,” said Bush, who is a retired postal worker. “We really haven't talked about splurging on anything.”
Bush said he was “skeptical” when he was first contacted a few months ago about the sweepstakes, as there are so many scammers out there. He asked a post office staff member if they had recently been delivering a lot of the type of envelopes in which he received his announcement. They had not.
He then contacted his local branch of the bank and inquired about the contest. The bank staff informed him that the contest was legitimate.
“I filled out the paperwork and submitted the information,” Bush said. “About four weeks later, I got confirmation that everything was fine and I had been the winner.”
Bush was astounded when he heard the news. But he said he does not expect a shopping spree anytime soon.
“We have kind of decided on taking care of some things to help us out,” Bush said. “I haven't really said 'OK, here is all this money. Let's take a two-month cruise' or anything like that.”
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
Along with Bush, 12 other M&T customers won prizes of $10,000, $5,000 and $1,000. Bush received his check Monday during an announcement at the bank's Auburn chapter.
According to M&T representatives, Bush had a one-in-18 million chance to win the top sum.
“I had never won anything of this magnitude before,” said Bush, 60. “It was just overwhelming to realize that you have won this amount.”
Bush said he has already put aside 20 percent for taxes, and has used some of the money to pay off bills. He said he is also using some to help his son complete a mission trip to Africa.
“I still have some just sitting there waiting to determine what I am going to do with it,” said Bush, who is a retired postal worker. “We really haven't talked about splurging on anything.”
Bush said he was “skeptical” when he was first contacted a few months ago about the sweepstakes, as there are so many scammers out there. He asked a post office staff member if they had recently been delivering a lot of the type of envelopes in which he received his announcement. They had not.
He then contacted his local branch of the bank and inquired about the contest. The bank staff informed him that the contest was legitimate.
“I filled out the paperwork and submitted the information,” Bush said. “About four weeks later, I got confirmation that everything was fine and I had been the winner.”
Bush was astounded when he heard the news. But he said he does not expect a shopping spree anytime soon.
“We have kind of decided on taking care of some things to help us out,” Bush said. “I haven't really said 'OK, here is all this money. Let's take a two-month cruise' or anything like that.”
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
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