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The Upstate Alliance’s Jennifer Miller won an end-of-the-year Visa promotion that automatically entered card users into a drawing for a trip for two to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Miller, a frequent debit-card user, even knows the purchase that won her the prize.
By Scott Miller
smiller@scbiznews.com
Published Feb. 5, 2010
A $23 bar tab earned the Upstate Alliance’s Jennifer Miller a free trip to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Visa ran a promotion from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 that automatically entered Visa card users into a drawing for a trip for two to the Winter games, including tickets to events, airfare and three nights at the Fairmont Waterfront hotel. The odds of winning were one out of more than 2 million.
Miller won. She and her brother, Josh Miller, fly to Vancouver Feb. 15.
“They called me and I was expecting the condo speech,” Miller said. “I was thinking, ‘okay, what do I have to do? What’s the catch? Do I have to buy timeshares? I was really waiting for the real the truth.”
No catch.
Visa even told Miller the purchase earned her the prize. On Dec. 3, a Thursday night, Miller used her Visa debit card to pay a $23 tab at Sassafras Southern Bistro in downtown Greenville.
“I was probably just out with friends having a drink,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever won anything in my life.”
Miller isn’t sure what events she’ll get to attend.
“I’m hoping for a hockey game and maybe some of the snowboarding events,” she said, noting that she does get to go to a medals ceremony.
She’s also hoping to check out the Vancouver nightlife.
“There are a couple of French restaurants I want to go to,” Miller said.
She isn’t entirely new to the area. Miller lived in Victoria, British Columbia, for nine months in 2001 and 2002 as part of an exchange program at the University of Victoria.
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