A Faulkner County resident, John O., has claimed a $250,000 prize from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery’s Play It Again Second-Chance drawing. The win came after John entered a non-winning $50 or $100! 2024 Edition instant ticket into the drawing held on September 11. He collected his winnings at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Claim Center later that day.
“I’ve been hoping for this day,” John told lottery officials.
John is a regular participant in the lottery and frequently submits his non-winning tickets through the AR Lottery + The Club app. He values the opportunity to benefit from these tickets by earning Points for Prizes or entering Second-Chance drawings. According to John, he had always aimed for these drawings and reassured his wife that there would be more chances even if he did not win initially.
On September 11, John received a voicemail from the lottery office informing him of his win. At first, he suspected it might be a scam but decided to return the call and was informed by an official about his prize.
“I had to go into the closet and scream,” he laughed. “It’s a feeling you cannot explain.”
He shared the news with his wife, who was initially concerned after seeing him take a phone call in private. Her concern turned to relief when she learned about the prize.
“We have to go now!” he said, excited.
John has not yet told his children about the win.
“I don’t know how they’re going to handle it!” he said.
He plans to use part of his winnings to help pay for his daughter’s college education. He also expressed appreciation for how proceeds from lottery ticket sales support scholarships for students in Arkansas.
The next Play It Again Second-Chance drawing is scheduled for December 18 with a top prize of $500,000. Information about eligible tickets and deadlines can be found at https://theclub.aslplayerservices.com/drawings.
Since its inception in 2009, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has generated over $8 billion in sales and contributed more than $1.5 billion toward scholarships benefiting students across Arkansas. More than 822,000 college scholarships have been awarded by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education as a result of these funds. The lottery has also distributed over $5.5 billion in prizes and provided significant revenue through retailer commissions and tax contributions.
For further details on games, winners, promotions, or joining The Club loyalty program, visit https://myarkansaslottery.com/. Responsible gaming resources are available via the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or online at https://www.ncpgambling.org/.
The Office of the Arkansas Lottery advises players that all winning numbers posted online are unofficial until validated by their central gaming system and approved by their Executive Director.
