Poplar Bluff man hits $250,000 top prize in state lottery game

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- When this 64-year-old lifelong resident of Poplar Bluff mailed in two Fun and Fortune Lottery tickets to the Missouri Lottery, he had no idea would make him $250,000.

"I have been poor all of my life," said Art Ward. "This is more money than I have ever seen."

This particular game in the Missouri Lottery offers players a chance to be on television as they spin a wheel to win a cash prize.

All tickets with a winning number marked with the word "entry" are mailed to the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City, Mo.

All tickets sent in are put into a container and 10 names are drawn every week. Each of these 10 people receive a check in the mail for $500.

The next stage of the game requires one ticket being drawn from the previous 10 winners. This is the person who then travels to Jefferson City to appear on the show to spin the wheel.

When Ward received his invitation letter in the mail, he "just couldn't believe it." He made arrangements to make the trip to Jefferson City. He arrived in Jefferson City in the early morning hours of July 26.

After receiving directions from a Jefferson City police officer when he took a wrong turn, Ward managed to get settled into a hotel, even though he was too nervous to get any rest.

"I tossed, I turned, I rolled," Ward commented. "Well, I was so nervous I just couldn't sleep."

At around 1 p.m. Friday, Ward reported to the Missouri Lottery headquarters, where he found his own personalized parking space awaiting him.

"They treat you like royalty, they really do," he said. "You even get your own host who gets you whatever you want.

"They just wait on you hand and foot. I've never seen anything like it."

According to Ward, the wheel they were spinning had just finished construction.

The wheel has several different sections marked with a cash prize number, but only one section on the wheel is marked with the $250,000 grand prize.

He took a deep breath and spun the wheel. As soon as the wheel stopped spinning, he could have been knocked over with a feather.

"When they said that I won, I like to passed out," he said.

Ward said that he is not sure where he purchased the lottery ticket. He has purchased several lottery tickets at various places across the town.

"I don't drink, I'm not out doping or anything like that," he said. "So I enjoy scratching."

The Missouri Lottery is currently tracking the serial numbers on the lottery ticket to see where it was purchased.

What is Ward planning to do with his newfound wealth?

First of all, he plans to "take care of his mother." This devoted son takes care of his bedridden mother 24 hours a day.

"Then I'm going to buy my son a new car and probably a new car for myself," he said. "The rest will just be put in the bank until I figure out what to do with that much money."