What began as a minor misunderstanding turned into an unexpected stroke of luck for a couple from Bella Vista. Darren and Lindsy L. won $230,000 in the May 7 Natural State Jackpot (NSJ) drawing, claiming their prize at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Claim Center on May 14.
The winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store #3264, located at 2 Riordan Road in Bella Vista. The numbers drawn were 6, 10, 14, 27, and 39.
Darren purchased the winning ticket as a birthday gift for his wife, Lindsy. The couple usually prefers instant tickets over draw games but decided to try their luck with $40 worth of Powerball tickets in honor of her birthday. However, Darren mistakenly bought several Quick Pick tickets for NSJ instead.
“It was actually a misunderstanding,” Darren told lottery officials.
Unbeknownst to them, this mix-up led to their $230,000 jackpot win. Lindsy discovered the win two days after the drawing while on a birthday retreat with family. She checked her numbers during some downtime and realized she had matched all five numbers needed to win.
“Is this real?” she thought before texting pictures of the winning ticket to her husband. When he didn’t respond immediately, she called him with the news: “I think I won.”
The couple has shared their good fortune with some family members and plans to go on vacation with their winnings. With Darren’s birthday approaching, they are hopeful for another big win.
Tonight’s NSJ jackpot stands at $85,000. Tickets are available for $1 per play until sales close at 7:59 p.m.
For more information about NSJ and other lottery games, visit MyArkansasLottery.com.
Since its inception in 2009, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has generated over $7.9 billion in sales and contributed more than $1.4 billion toward scholarships benefiting Arkansas students. More than 822,000 college scholarships have been awarded by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education through these funds.
Follow the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery on social media or visit MyArkansasLottery.com for details on scholarships and promotions or join The Club for free updates. For assistance with problem gambling issues contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
