“We have a little saying before we scratch our tickets – ‘Maybe this will be the big one!’” a Missouri Lottery winner shared, while claiming a $1 million prize from a “500X” ticket she purchased at Snappy Mart, 600 S. Harris St., in Willow Springs.

“When we scratched the ticket we found a 100X symbol,” she recalled. “We thought we’d probably won $1,000, but the zeros kept coming!”

Underneath the 100X symbol was a $10,000 prize – totaling to a prize of $1 million.

“We were so surprised,” she shared.

She explained they haven’t had time to process their big win yet.

“We were sitting on the porch in our rocking chairs the other day, and we’re looking at each other and said, ‘Now what are we going to say instead of ‘Maybe this will be the big one’?’” she laughed. “We already won it now! Unless we win $5 million, and then that would be even better.”

She shared plans to buy a little house with some acreage, and they also want to give back to their community and church.

“It’s a blessing that we’ll be able to give back a little of what’s been given to us over the years.” she said.

“500X” is a $50 Scratchers ticket released on May 30. The game currently offers over $206.2 million in unclaimed prizes, including two $5 million top prizes, three additional $1 million second prizes and 40 prizes of $50,000.

In FY23, players in Howell County won more than $6.8 million in Missouri Lottery prizes, retailers received over $682,000 in commissions and bonuses, and more than $1.9 million in Lottery proceeds went to education programs in the county.