By CATHY DYSON

Charles and Delores Ramsey of King George County have won big three times with the Virginia Lottery--including a $1 million jackpot--but haven't become extravagant spenders.

"It hasn't changed our lives," Delores said. "It's just made them a little more comfortable."

The latest win for Charles Ramsey, who spends about $40 a day on tickets, came Dec. 4, when he got $100,000 in the Cash 5 drawing. He bought his ticket at Perns Supermarket on State Route 3 near King George Courthouse and let the computer randomly pick the numbers.

It was the second time he has won $100,000 in Cash 5. The first prize came in 1999.

His biggest win of all, the $1 million jackpot, was in 1992. The lottery didn't at that time offer a choice between a lump sum or monthly payments, and the couple got a check each month for 20 years.

They got their last payment this month.

In 1992, Charles was driving a tractor-trailer for Giant Food, which he did for 34 years, and Delores was working at Safeway.

They both kept working, even after the big win.

The next lottery prize, in 1999, allowed them to quit their jobs. Charles had undergone neck and open heart surgery by that point, and the money got him off the road.

"I was so happy because we were able to get him out of the truck," Delores said.

He's 67 and an Air Force veteran, and she's 62. Neither is ready to sit around doing nothing. He works at a golf course and she does odd jobs.

Charles told lottery officials he was just as excited with this win as with the first.

He ran to his wife and announced, "We've done it again!" The night before the trip to cash in the ticket, he said, he didn't sleep a wink.

His win was the talk of Perns Supermarket, said owner Ella Patel. "It's the first local winner that we've had."

She said Charles comes in every day and spends about $20 on the daytime drawing and the same on the nightly one.

He also regularly plays Keno, a bingo-type gambling game.

"I keep threatening to send him to Gamblers Anonymous," his wife said. "We hit the $100,000 once before, and I'm sure he's given it all back to them."

Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com