WATCH: North Carolina Grandma Wins HGTV Urban Oasis Home After Entering for 17 Years: 'A Dream That Came True' (2024)

A North Carolina woman who has entered every one of HGTV's Home Giveaways for the past 17 years has finally won big.

Regina Richardson, a retiree living in Pittsboro with her husband of 42 years and high school sweetheart, took home this year's HGTV Urban Oasis Home prize package worth over $1.3 million.

"When the camera crew came over in front of us, I thought that my daughter had set up a video for me, then I looked to my right, and Brian[Patrick Flynn] was standing there... When I saw his face, I just knew, and I think I said,' I won it!'" Richardson recalls of winning the sweepstakes, which includes a newly built and furnished home, a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and $50,000 from sweepstakes sponsor Ally. "Unreal…a dream that came true for me and my family," she adds.

In an exclusive clip of the big reveal (above), Flynn, who designed the home, jokes as Richardson is visually shaken by his surprise appearance that it was "the best reaction" in the contest's history.

Her daughter, and her daughter's family, were all there for the ambush, which Richardson says made it a "perfect moment."

Richardson considers herself an HGTV superfan, and says she would always sign up for daily reminders to enter the network's giveaways every time a new home became available.

After being selected randomly from a pool of over 77 million entries, she and her husband are now the owners of a gorgeous 2,500-square-foot, three-bedroom, two full and two-half bathroom home just 10 minutes from downtown Nashville.

"With this home, I wanted to showcase a fresh take on the world of country music in 2022, while also representing the rich history of the city and country music greats," Flynn previously told PEOPLE. "I did this throughout the design from color choices to art."

The pop of color is instantly noticeable through an array of accents, including female country music artist album covers, vintage instruments, wall murals, and Broadway-inspired bistro lights.

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Richardson, who loves shows like Married to Real Estate, Help! I Wrecked My House, and 100 Day Dream Home, was most impressed with the home's layout.

The dining room leads visitors into an open chef's kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and a massive island with bar seating. The adjacent casual dining area features built-in banquette-style seating to save space, similar to the illustrious skylights and lush greenery in the main bedroom.

As someone who loves to host, she said that the outdoor and indoor entertaining areas are a "standout space in the home for her."