THE CANADIAN PRESS
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - It's been a long unlucky streak, but her prayers have finally been answered.
Ninety-year-old Florence Carey admits she's played the slot machines for a long time and never won so much as a nickel.
"I was very unlucky ... I (pray) every Sunday when I go to church."
But that changed this week for the woman from Prince Albert, Sask., when she hit a button on a slot machine at the Northern Lights Casino and bells started ringing.
She'd just won almost $460,000.
"It was exciting, but still I can't believe it," said Carey, who is a familiar face at the casino and also made bus trips to the United States to gamble.
People congratulated her and snapped photos.
"That tired me out a lot. I didn't sleep at all that night and I had to keep taking nitro because my heart is very weak."
Carey has had her share of other bad luck in life, including heart attacks, a stroke, diabetes and cancer that made her partially blind.
"I went through a lot ... I've had just about everything."
Poor health has affected her ability to travel, so she goes to the casino for entertainment.
"I sit where I have more room ... because I'm out of the way with my oxygen."
Carey plans to keep $100,000 to gamble with and give each of her nine children a share as well.
And, of course, St. Joseph's Church will be getting a big offering as well.
