Engaged Hot Springs Couple Wins $75,000 Lottery Prize

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Engaged Hot Springs Couple Wins $75,000 Lottery Prize, Thought They

Were Being Pranked April29,2019LITTLEROCK–AHotSpringscoupleclaimedaprizeworth$75,000MondaymorningattheArkansasScholarshipLottery’sClaimCenter.DemetriusHarperandShaQuondraSteele‘sluckywincamefromplayingthelottery'sinstant-ticketgame,10XBonus!Crossword.“Wedidn’tbelieveit,andIwantedtosignthebackoftheticketimmediately,”saidHarperwhenSteelefirstdiscoveredthattheyhadwonSunday.Theyscannedthewinningticketthreetimesattheretailerwheretheyhadpurchasedtheticket.ThecouplewantedtomakesurethattheyhadtotraveltoLittleRocktoclaimtheirprizesinceitwasmorethan$500.However,theydidn’trealizethattheirwinningexperiencewouldbesweetenedevenmorewithanothersurprise.Theduothoughttheyhadonlywon$1,000anddidnotdiscovertheactualamountwonuntillotteryofficialspresentedthesmilingpairwiththeir$75,000check.“Holdon,”saidSteele.“Isthisajoke?Arewegettingpunked?Iknowtherehastobeacamerasomewhere,”saidHarper.SteeleandHarper,whohavebeenengagedsinceNewYear’sEve,hadplanstowaittwoyearstogetmarriedtosaveforawedding.“Mybirthdayistodayandy’allhavechangedourlives!Nowwehaveenoughmoneyforourwedding,”saidHarper.

Thecouplehasfourchildrenandalsoplanstopaybills,goonavacationandmakeadownpaymentforanewhome.“Weplaythelotteryoften,andIrememberwhenwehadpreviouslywon$800.Oneofourdaughterssaidthatshecouldn’twaituntilwewinenoughmoneytomoveintoanewhome,”saidSteele.“Herdreamisnowreality!”

AbouttheArkansasScholarshipLotteryMorethan92centsofeverydollarofLotteryrevenuegoestoprizes,scholarships,retailercommissions,andotherexpensesinArkansas.Since2009,theLotteryhasprovidedmorethan$781millionformorethan302,000collegescholarships,morethan$2.8billioninprizestoplayers,about$245millioninretailercommissionsandmorethan$124millionstateandfederaltaxrevenue.FollowtheArkansasScholarshipLotteryonFacebook,TwitterandInstagram.VisitMyArkansasLottery.comformoreinformationonscholarships,winners,games,odds,promotions–andtojoinTheClubforfree.Tohearwinningnumbers,calltheWinningNumbersHotlineat501-682-IWON(4966).Togethelpwithproblemgambling,contacttheNationalProblemGamblingHelplineat1-800-522-4700.

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