Carrie Reynolds, of Columbia Falls, claimed a $25,000 top prize for the “Sparkling Slingo” Scratch game on July 16 with a ticket from Smokers Express, in Columbia Falls.

Reynolds and her husband traveled to Helena to claim the prize and said the win came at the perfect time. Although she has never won a large prize before, Reynolds said, “I do play the Lottery a lot.”

Her husband added that they checked the ticket four or five times before they could believe it was a winner. Reynolds told Lottery officials that the winnings will be put to use helping her husband in his fight against cancer.

“You’re my other half,” she told him at Lottery headquarters. “And this is wonderful!”

“Sparkling Slingo” debuted March 12 with prizes up to $25,000. The Montana Lottery was created by referendum in 1986. In the past 25 years, it has paid out more than $428 million to players in prizes and returned more than $193 million to the state of Montana.