Winner runs home to grandmother with incredible news

By Kate Northrop

VILONIA, Ark. — An Arkansas woman took a break from caring for her grandmother to play the lottery and won a $350,000 prize on a feeling.

An Arkansas woman who has considered herself "pretty lucky" in the past tried her luck in the lottery while taking a break and won a prize much larger than she initially realized.

While briefly stepping away from her grandmother's care, Kalen Rodgers of Vilonia decided to visit Tobacco World of Vilonia on Main Street in Vilonia.

She buys lottery tickets occasionally, a few times every month, but she does not have a favorite game or retailer. This time, she purchased her winning ticket just how she buys every other ticket — on a whim.

"She's one of those people who just feels it," Kalen's sister, Shanna, told the Arkansas Lottery while accompanying her to claim the prize.

Kalen noticed a $20 "$350,000 Cash Payout" game in the third ticket bin, which had recently launched in July. Although she rarely buys $20 tickets, something told her to this time.

She had only managed to scratch off the first row of the ticket when it came time to return to her grandmother.

At home later that night, Kalen scratched off the rest of the ticket and was sure she had won a $50,000 prize. She sprinted back to her grandmother's house to tell her.

It was there that she realized the prize was much larger than she originally thought — upon closer inspection, she saw she won the game's $350,000 top prize.

When she visited the Lottery claim center to validate the ticket, she revealed to officials that she's already been "pretty lucky" in the past, having won several $500 prizes on other scratch-off games and $100 on the same day she bought her $350,000-winning ticket.

This, however, is her biggest prize yet.

"I'm so excited," Kalen exclaimed. "I haven't slept all night!"

Not only did the lottery bring her a financial windfall, but it has also benefitted her family in another way — through her son's lottery-funded scholarship. He is beginning his sophomore year and was granted the scholarship for the second consecutive year.

"I am so happy to hear that a player's son received a scholarship funded by our lottery ticket sales," Lottery Executive Director Sharon Strong said in a press release. "It's rewarding to know that the work we do has a direct impact on the lives of Arkansans."

With the winnings, Kalen plans on paying off all debt and looks forward to using the prize to "live a little."

With Kalen claiming the first $350,000 top prize in the $20 "$350,000 Cash Payout" game, two more top prizes remain. Additionally, three out of four second-tier prizes of $25,000 and three out of four third-tier prizes of $10,000 are still available.

The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 2.97.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Vilonia resident Kalen Rodgers recently won $350,000 with a $20 ticket in the $350,000 Cash Payout instant game.