By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

MIAMI TOWNSHIP - For Stephen and Susan Branch, it's the sweetest gift ever for Valentine's Day.

The Goshen couple won the $14 million prize in Wednesday night's Super Lotto Plus drawing.

The Branches, who declined media interviews, claimed the prize Thursday, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission. They opted for the cash payout, about $4.8 million after taxes.

Susan Branch purchased the ticket about 10 minutes before the drawing at the Tollgate Carry-Out, 1881 Ohio 131 in Miami Township, said one of the store's managers, Hana Shteiwi.

"She called back and said she had the numbers but didn't know if she'd won," he said. "I told her, yes she did, and she started crying."

Shteiwi said the woman stops in the store about once a week, but this was only the third time she'd bought a lottery ticket. She bought $2 worth of tickets.

The Branches let the lottery computer select their winning numbers: 3, 6, 11, 12, 39 and 49.

Only one winning ticket was sold. The Branches chose the cash option of $7 million and take home $4,865,000 after state and federal taxes, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission.

"She's one lucky lady," Shteiwi said. "Now everybody's been coming in here. Everybody's been calling. It's exciting."

Shteiwi's brother, Nazih, owns the store and two others in the Cincinnati area.

The store receives a $14,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

"We're very, very happy for that lady," Nazoj Shteiwi said.