Two Arkansas lottery players have won significant prizes by playing instant games.

Hot Springs Village resident Jeanene D. recently won $100,000 playing Big 777, a recently-launched $5 instant game. She claimed her prize at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) Claim Center on Feb. 8.

The winning ticket was sold at Grace Convenience Store on 468 W. Grand Ave. in Hot Springs Village.

Jeanene D., a daily lottery player, purchased the winning ticket while on a break from work. She had initially planned to buy a drink from the convenience store and decided to take care of the two errands at once.

The woman typically prefers $20 instant games, along with occasional draw games like Powerball®, Mega Millions®, LOTTO and Lucky for Life®. However, when the convenience store clerk informed her that all $20 tickets were sold out, she selected the Big 777 ticket.

The Hot Springs Village resident returned to work after her break, only to head right back to the convenience store when she realized she had won the $100,000 top prize.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” she shared with lottery officials.

Jeanene has mostly kept the good news to herself, hoping to not “jinx it” by telling too many people. She did, however, notify her grandson.

“She called me out of the blue and said, ‘Do you want to go to Little Rock in the morning?’” her grandson said. “I was bewildered.”

This prize marks her largest to date, though the woman has played lottery games since the state lottery first began. Previously, her biggest win was a $2,500 prize from last summer.

With this prize, Jeanene plans to pay off some of her bills and complete some “desperately needed” home repairs. She also intends to continue playing lottery games.

Two top prizes remain on the Big 777 instant game.

Shawn D., a Smithville resident, recently won a $50,000 lottery prize playing the $20 $50,000 Blast instant game. He claimed his prize at the ASL Claim Center on Feb. 7.

The winning ticket was sold at Tobacco Superstore #70 at 1260 W. Kaiser Ave. in Osceola.

The Smithville resident, a construction worker, rarely plays lottery games. However, after a trip to the ATM, one of his coworkers decided he wanted to buy a few scratch-off tickets. At his coworker’s insistence, Shawn purchased a $50,000 Blast ticket of his own.

The Arkansan began scratching off his ticket while in the store, quickly realizing he had won the $50,000 top prize.

“I knew I’d better go to the truck,” Shawn said. “The adrenaline rush I’d had was making me sick to the stomach.”

He shared the good news with his coworker and notified family and friends soon thereafter.

“First, they were excited,” the winner chuckled. “Then it was, ‘Can I get a loan?’”

Mostly, he noted, they were just happy to know someone who had won big playing the lottery. Prior to this win, Shawn had won $1,000 at most on other scratch-off tickets.

“I never thought it would happen to me,” he said.

Shawn plans to use his winnings on a vehicle for his teenage son, who will start driving soon.

Following the Smithville man’s win, 11 top prizes remain for the $50,000 Blast instant game.

For more information about the lottery, visit MyArkansasLottery.com.

About the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery creates winning people, winning futures, and winning moments. Since 2009, the lottery has raised more than $1.3 billion in proceeds for scholarships. More than 720,000 college scholarships have been awarded to Arkansans. The lottery has awarded more than $4.8 billion in prizes to players, more than $406 million in retailer commissions, and provided more than $175 million in state and federal tax revenue.

Follow the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit MyArkansasLottery.com for more information on scholarships, winners, games, odds, promotions – and to join The Club for free. To get help with problem gambling, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Jeanene D. of Hot Springs Village won a $100,000 prize playing Big 777.

 

Smithville resident Shawn D. won $50,000 playing the $50,000 Blast instant game.