PARAGOULD, Ark. — A Paragould woman is $500,000 wealthier after winning the money through an Arkansas Scholarship Lottery scratch-off ticket.
“I was really needing something good to happen to me,” said Sabrena Jones when she claimed her prize Tuesday at the lottery’s Claim Center in Little Rock. “The past two years have been hard.”
Jones was with her mother and brother on Saturday night when she realized she had won the $500,000 prize.
Jones said she doesn't play often, but she had won $280 the week before, so she used some of that money to buy more tickets. She said she joked with her mother that she couldn't scratch any because she had teased her before about winning.
However, Jones' mother actually scratched the $20 200X The Prize instant ticket that won. Her mother thought at first her daughter had won only $500.
“I plan to give my mom a scratcher’s fee,” Jones laughed. Winning must run in the family. Her brother won $50,000 off a scratch-off ticket last summer.
Although still in shock, Jones said her first thought was how much easier it will be for her daughter to attend private college in the fall. She said she also plans to buy a new car for each of her two daughters and take a vacation.
Jones was employed at a factory last week, working the night shift from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. On Sunday night, she went to work and bought lunch for her co-workers before she quit.
“I have always wanted to live by the beach, so I plan to move – maybe to South Carolina, get a beach house and go to work – just not doing the night shift,” Jones said.
Flash Market, located at 1005 E. Kings Highway in Paragould, will receive a 1 percent commission of $5,000 for selling the winning ticket.
A Missouri resident claimed a $200,000 prize on Tuesday from a $10 $10,000,000 Cash Extravaganza instant ticket that was purchased at this same Flash Market. The retailer will receive an additional $2,000 commission for that winning ticket.