An American woman who put a lottery ticket in her husband’s wedding anniversary card was astonished when it won them an amazing US$25,000 a year for life.

According to the Mirror, Shelley German, from Salem, New Hampshire in the United States had bought the ticket as a last-minute gift for their 43rd wedding anniversary.

Bizarrely, on their 38th anniversary, the lucky couple had won a new car.

“Shelley German of Salem, NH is the winner of a $25,000 (£19,600) a year for life prize in the multi-state Lucky for Life game after the first five numbers on her Quic Pic ticket matched those selected in the drawing that took place July 28,” Massachusetts Lottery said.

“She said she put her winning ticket in an anniversary card for her husband thinking it had matched four of the first five numbers.

“When they rechecked the numbers together, they realised that all five of those numbers matched,” it added.

Lottery officials said that German and her husband, who celebrated their anniversary on August 2, collected their prize at the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters in Dorchester.

“She chose the annuity option on her prize and received the first of 20 annual payments of $25,000 (before taxes),” the statement said.

“She said on their 38th anniversary she won a new car in a raffle, then also noted that her first real jackpot was her husband,” the statement added.

German told lottery officials that she plans to spend some of her winnings on home improvements after she bought the ticket from Ted’s Stateline Mobil in Methuen.