2021-12-23 13:24:21.967

An Ozark couple is $100,000 richer after the husband stopped for a drink and picked up a few Missouri Lottery Scratchers tickets. That evening at dinner, his wife scratched a “Holiday Cash” ticket and uncovered one of the game’s top prizes.

“I was scratching the ticket and said, ‘Oh, I won!’” she recalled. “I start looking at the numbers, and I see 100. Then I see a comma. A hundred thousand. I think I was pretty well in shock!”

Her husband was just as stunned. 

“He asked, ‘Is that real? There’s no way. That’s fake! Wait – I bought it. I know it’s real!’” she laughed. “It was pretty crazy.”

She explained they have a rule that whoever scratches a winning ticket gets to keep the money, but they made an exception due to the prize amount. She shared that they plan to use some of the winnings to donate to their church and school.

In FY21, players in Christian County won more than $11.2 million in Missouri Lottery prizes, retailers received more than $1.1 million in commissions and bonuses, and more than $2.3 million in Lottery proceeds went to education programs in the county.

The winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store, 1950 W. Jackson St., in Ozark.

"Holiday Cash," a clear $5 Scratchers game with more than $6.6 million in unclaimed prizes, including another top prize of $100,000 million and two additional $20,000 second prizes.

Through Jan. 4, players can enter Missouri Lottery holiday-themed Scratchers or Draw Games tickets through the My Lottery® Players Club or the Lottery's mobile app for a chance to win in the “Flip Flops and Mountaintops” Holiday Escape Promotion.