LITTLE ROCK A man answered an unexpected call to hear a voice on the other end of the line telling him he won thousands of dollars from the Arkansas lottery.
Though the weekly player had entered his non-winning tickets into the drawing, he didn’t believe his name had been pulled for the $250,000 prize in the Jan. 21 Play It Again Second-Chance drawing, Arkansas lottery officials said in a Jan. 27 news release.
Thinking the call was a scam, the player thought of a way to verify the news. “I’m going to look it up while you’re on the phone with me,” the Lawrence County man told the person on the phone.
He went to the Arkansas lottery website and searched for his name on the Drawings & Winners page.
When he saw his name listed on the page of winners, he couldn’t believe he was the one taking home the “life-changing” $250,000 prize, the lottery said.
He ran to tell his wife — and the two rushed to claim their winnings.
“I’m just happy we got a second chance,” the lucky winner told officials.
He said he plans to take a vacation and pay off bills with his winnings.
Lawrence County is about a 125-mile drive northeast from Little Rock.
Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
By KATE LINDERMAN/Miami Herald
