LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An Arkansas Scholarship Lottery winner is planning a big purchase with his $70,000 prize.
Neil Smith’s big win came from playing the lottery’s $3 scratch-off game, Win 10X. Smith bought the ticket on Monday from Tobacco Town at 211 South Rogers in Clarksville.
“I usually buy the $1 or $2 tickets, but I just sold a washing machine and decided to treat myself with a couple of lottery tickets for entertainment,” he said.
Smith bought four Win 10X tickets. He didn’t win on the first two tickets but won the top prize on the third ticket.
“Holy cow! Now, that’s a winner,” was his first thought when he realized he had a winning ticket. “I ran into the store to check the ticket to make sure my eyes weren’t playing some cruel joke on me! I scanned it on the ticket checker about ten times.”
Smith’s wife, Rita, had to scratch the fourth ticket because he was so happy about his win that he didn’t care about scratching it.
“I always dreamed of owning a home for my family of seven. My family has had the worst luck with landlords,” Smith told lottery officials. “I went back to my vehicle and told my wife that we could finally make a down payment on a house!”
“Her face immediately turned red, and we both were teary-eyed,” he said. “Then she told me that we didn’t win on the last ticket.”
