Woman runs to tell grandma about lottery win — then realizes her prize is even bigger
An Arkansas woman on a short break from caring for her grandmother bought a scratch-off ticket on a whim — and won big, lottery officials said.
Kalen Rodgers, of Vilonia, bought a $350,000 Cash Payout ticket and only scratched a portion of it before she had to resume her caretaker duties, according to an Aug. 28 news release from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery.
Rodgers told lottery officials she doesn’t have a favorite game, and, instead, picks them on a whim.
“She’s one of those people who just feels it,” her sister Shanna told lottery officials.
When Rodgers finished scratching the $20 ticket later that evening, she was “overjoyed,” thinking she’d won $50,000, lottery officials said.
After running back to her grandmother’s house to share the news, she realized she’d actually won the game’s top prize of $350,000.
“I’m so excited,” the winner told lottery officials. “I haven’t slept all night!”
Rodgers said she plans to use her winnings to pay off all her debt and “live a little.”
The winner told lottery officials her son is attending college on a lottery-funded scholarship, according to the release.
The winning ticket was purchased at Tobacco World of Vilonia.
Vilonia is about a 35-mile drive north from Little Rock.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Woman runs to tell grandma about lottery win — then realizes her prize is even bigger."
