Two Arkansas residents each won $10,000 after playing the newly launched $10,000 Winnings instant ticket game from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery.
Carlena Buerkle of Almyra claimed her prize at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Claim Center on August 8. She purchased her winning ticket at Stuttgart C-Stop in Stuttgart. Buerkle said she regularly buys instant tickets as part of her grocery routine and was drawn to the new game’s pink color during a recent visit. After scratching off her ticket at home, she found the top prize on the first row.
“I was just over the moon,” Buerkle told lottery officials. “My first thought was, ‘Wow!’”
She shared the news with her husband, who initially did not believe her.
“Guess what I just won?” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, right,” he responded in disbelief.
Buerkle plans to use her winnings to pay off and eventually sell her camper. She advised other players to stay positive about their chances of winning.
On the same day, Jerry Frinzell Jr. of Rogers also claimed a $10,000 top prize after purchasing his ticket at Walmart Fuel Center #5260 in Rogers. Frinzell is a regular lottery player who usually buys two tickets at a time.
“I win a lot—just normally under $500,” he said.
Frinzell used previous winnings of $130 to buy two more tickets; one yielded a $20 prize while the other revealed the $10,000 top prize.
“I’m a winner!” he thought.
He has so far only shared his win with a work colleague and some friends. He intends to use his prize money for a meal at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and to buy new tires for his truck.
There are currently 148 top prizes of $10,000 remaining on the $10,000 Winnings game. More information about this and other lottery games is available at MyArkansasLottery.com.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has sold over $8 billion since its inception in 2009 and has provided more than $1.5 billion for scholarships benefiting students across Arkansas. Over 822,000 college scholarships have been distributed by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education with funding from lottery proceeds. The lottery has also awarded over $5.5 billion in prizes to players and generated significant revenue for retailers and state taxes.
Players must be 18 years or older to participate in lottery games. For those seeking assistance with gambling issues, help is available through resources such as www.ncpgambling.org or Gamblers Anonymous at www.gamblersanonymous.org.
