Fort Smith, Arkansas – Three lottery players recently stepped forward to claim major prizes at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Claim Center after purchasing winning scratch-off tickets. What began as routine purchases quickly transformed into life-changing surprises for players from Arkansas and neighboring Texas, each discovering their fortune in dramatically different ways.
The winners—Rebecca K. of Sebastian County, Sam M. of Bowie County, Texas, and James Malone of Benton—each walked away with substantial winnings from Arkansas Scholarship Lottery instant games. Their stories reveal a mixture of curiosity, chance, disbelief, and excitement as they uncovered prizes that many players only dream about.
Surprise Wins Bring Big Celebrations
Rebecca K., a resident of Sebastian County, captured one of the biggest prizes of the group after winning $200,000 while playing the $10 Diamonds & Gold instant game. The ticket that would ultimately bring her a life-changing reward was purchased at Walmart #141, located at 8301 Rogers Ave. in Fort Smith.
Rebecca is not an everyday player but enjoys lottery games occasionally, usually purchasing tickets every couple of weeks. She often checks the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery website to see which instant games still have top prizes remaining before deciding which tickets to buy.
On the day she purchased the ticket, the decision was spontaneous. She picked up the scratch-off ticket on a whim and later took it home to scratch.
What happened next left her stunned.
“I was in total disbelief,” she told lottery officials. “I thought, ‘That can’t be right.’”
Rebecca had indeed uncovered a $200,000 top prize.
After the shock settled in, she began sharing the news with those closest to her. Her sons were among the first people she told, followed by her best friends and a financial advisor who could help her manage the sudden windfall.
Despite her huge win, Rebecca said she still plans to continue playing lottery games from time to time.
Lottery officials also noted that two $200,000 top prizes still remain available in the Diamonds & Gold instant game.
Two More Players Strike Gold With $50,000 Stacked
While Rebecca celebrated her $200,000 prize, two additional winners also arrived at the claim center on March 4 to collect top prizes from the $20 instant game $50,000 Stacked.
One of those winners was Sam M., a resident of Bowie County, Texas. Sam purchased his winning ticket during a visit to Paul’s Pawn & Gun at 2809 E. 9th St. in Texarkana.
Sam had been given a ride by a friend and decided to stop by the store while he was there. At the retailer, he purchased the final few $50,000 Stacked tickets that were still available.
When Sam began scratching the ticket, he initially believed he had only won a small prize.
At first glance, the symbols suggested a modest $50 win.
But the reality was far different.
As he continued checking the ticket, he realized the prize amount was far greater than expected. Still unsure, Sam asked the retailer to scan the ticket to verify the results.
The scanner confirmed the incredible discovery—he had actually won $50,000.
The stunned winner immediately shared the news with the friend who had driven him to the store.
Another winner of the same game, James Malone of Benton, had a slightly different path to victory—one that began with encouragement from his wife.
While visiting Salem Congo Gas & Food, located at 6680 Congo Road in Benton, James’ wife suggested he try a scratch-off ticket.
“Maybe you should try out that scratch-off ticket,” she said.
James is not a frequent player and said he only buys lottery tickets once or twice a year. But that day he decided to follow his wife’s suggestion.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” he said.
James purchased a few $20 tickets, including one for the $50,000 Stacked game.
Later, he went to his mother’s house where he scratched the ticket using what he calls his “lucky quarter.” As he worked across the middle row of the ticket, he suddenly noticed something remarkable—the symbols revealed a $50,000 top prize.
The moment brought a rush of emotion.
“My heart did something weird,” James told lottery officials, laughing. “I thought, ‘What is this feeling? This is unreal!’”
Unable to contain his excitement, James immediately ran to tell his mother about the win.
“Oh my gosh, mom!” James said. “I just won $50,000.”
He later shared the news with several of his friends, who all celebrated the surprising victory.
For James, the prize represents more than personal gain. As a disabled veteran, he said he plans to use part of the winnings to support other veterans who may need help.
“I want to treat it right,” he told lottery officials. “I just like to help people.”
Lottery officials noted that while these three winners have already claimed major prizes, the opportunities for others remain. According to the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, fifty-eight $50,000 top prizes are still available in the $50,000 Stacked instant game.
For players across Arkansas and neighboring states, the stories of Rebecca, Sam, and James serve as reminders that sometimes a simple scratch-off ticket—purchased on a whim, during a quick stop at a store, or even at the suggestion of a loved one—can unexpectedly change someone’s life.
