National

Lottery player wins big after she waited her whole life to ‘scratch a ticket like this’

A Missouri woman’s patience paid off when her scratch-off lottery ticket paid out a big prize.
A Missouri woman’s patience paid off when her scratch-off lottery ticket paid out a big prize. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A Missouri woman’s patience paid off when her scratch-off lottery ticket paid out a big prize.

The woman used winnings from another lottery ticket to buy a 500X ticket from a 7-Eleven in Affton. As she scratched, prizes began to be revealed.

“When I scratched that first bonus spot prize to see the dollar amount, it was $1,000. And the next was $1,000, and the third was $5,000!” she said, according to a Dec. 29 Missouri Lottery news release.

The woman revealed 35 $1,000 prizes and three $5,000 prizes. In total, she won $50,000.

“My family said the words that came out of my mouth were, ‘I’ve been waiting my whole life to scratch a ticket like this!’” she said. “It’s the most fun and most excited I’ve ever been.”

The cashier who sold her the ticket joked that they would save some money in the register in case she won.

“I went back to the 7-Eleven a few hours later, and (the clerk) asked, ‘Did you win?’ I said, ‘Yeah - $50,000!’” the woman told lottery officials.

The 500X ticket costs $50 and has two $5 million top prizes remaining as of Dec. 31.

Affton is about 10 miles southwest of St. Louis.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published December 31, 2023 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Lottery player wins big after she waited her whole life to ‘scratch a ticket like this’."

Jennifer Rodriguez
mcclatchy-newsroom
Jennifer Rodriguez is a McClatchy National Real-Time reporter covering the Central and Midwest regions. She joined McClatchy in 2023 after covering local news in Youngstown, Ohio, for over six years. Jennifer has made several achievements in her journalism career, including receiving the Robert R. Hare Award in English, the Emerging Leader Justice and Equality Award, the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and the Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan Award.
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