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Easton Woman Celebrates $50,000 Lottery Prize

Tina Hughes likes to play Missouri Lottery “Crossword” Scratchers for the “challenge.”  Her choice of entertainment provided a different kind of reward with a ticket she purchased on Oct. 9 – a $50,000 top prize.  The 43-year-old Easton woman bought the winning ticket at Culver’s Riverside 66, 5430 Frederick, in St. Joseph.  She discovered it was a winner while scratching the ticket later at home. 
   
“I scratched it, and I took it into my mom,” began Hughes.  “I said, ‘Look at this, I won $5,000!’”
   
After examining the ticket, Tina’s mom informed her that she had two more words. 
   
“I said, ‘Well, Holy Cow, Mom! That’s $50,000!’  I was just really surprised,” recalled Tina. 
     
Since the win happened on a Saturday night, and the Lottery was closed for a holiday the following Monday, Tina’s sister kept the ticket in a “lock-box” until she could claim it at the Kansas City Lottery office on Oct. 12.  Tina plans to purchase a new car with the windfall. 
   
Now that she’s won big money on “Crossword,” Tina is looking for a new challenge. 
   
“We’re going to work on the Bingos, now,” she said.  
   
“Crossword” is a $3 game with a top prize of $50,000.  Players reveal letters to spell words.  The number of words spelled on the ticket determines the prize amount.