A woman from Allegheny County recently won a luxury trip to the Super Bowl through the Pennsylvania Lottery’s Second-Chance Drawing.
Joanne Dimitt and her husband, Mike, traveled to Northern California for the event, which was titled “The Big Game.”
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.
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.
“Then the phone rang. It was the Lottery. They told me I had won. At first, I didn’t even want to go. I was nervous. It felt too big, too fancy, too much. But Mike looked at me and said, ‘We’re going.’ And I’m so glad he did,” Dimitt said.
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’s Wharf in San Francisco.
“Everything — from the moment we arrived to the minute we left — felt first class,” Dimitt said. “After the Hall of Fame luncheon, we went to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, just walking around and taking it all in. The ocean air, the noise, the excitement — it felt like a movie.”
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.
“I’m a lifelong Steelers fan, so sitting there, just a few feet away from him, felt surreal,” Dimitt said.
The trip also featured high-end dining, including a meal at a Brazilian steakhouse on their first night.
“The first night we had a feast at a Brazilian steakhouse. Lobster, endless cuts of meat — I couldn’t believe it,” Dimitt said. “I remember thinking, ‘I almost didn’t come.’ And there I was, laughing with Mike, feeling like royalty.”
Before the game at Levi’s 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.
“Then came the moment we walked up to Levi’s Stadium,” Dimitt said. “The energy outside was electric. We had a private tailgate before the game — velvet ropes, couches, everything roped off. It felt like we were celebrities.”
Once inside the stadium, the Dimitts found themselves seated close to the field during the championship game.
“Inside 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’ll never forget,” Dimitt said.
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.
This was not the first time Dimitt won a prize through a lottery drawing. Years earlier, she won tickets to a taping of “American Idol” but opted for a cash prize to pay for home repairs.
“Years ago, we won tickets to see American Idol, but I chose the cash option because we needed a new furnace and air conditioning,” Dimitt said. “But that was the year Carrie Underwood won. It would have been awesome to see, but we needed some home renovations.”
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.
“I love country music — so that was a thrill all on its own!” Dimitt said. “We used to see Zuckerberg come through. One time Anderson and her son rented a car. We saw Harris.” Dimitt added that she was able to get an autograph from Yoakam during their meeting.
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