Dalton resident John Ausec, 71, got a real holiday treat, winning $52,000 from the Georgia Lottery. He was one of two players to win $1,000 a week for a year from matching five out of six numbers plus the Free Ball in the Dec. 5 Win for Life drawing.

Ausec purchased the ticket at Mapco Express in Dalton, using a set of birthdays to create his lucky combination.

Winning numbers from the Dec. 5 Win for Life drawing were: 3-8-11-26-29-38 and the Free Ball was 42. The second winning ticket was purchased in Grayson.

While reading the newspaper and drinking his morning coffee, Ausec discovered he’d won.

“It is fantastic I won that amount of money,” he said.

He plans to take a cruise with his wife, Karen.

“I’m very, very lucky,” he exclaimed.