Joplin woman wins $250,000 scratchers prize

Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Beverly Shaffer, of Joplin, recently won $250,000 in a Missouri Lottery scratchers game.

A Joplin woman has become the 25th person to uncover a $250,000 prize on a Missouri Lottery "$250,000 Mega Cash" Scratchers ticket. Beverly Shaffer stopped for Pick 3 tickets on Sept. 30, and decided to purchase one of the $10 Scratchers ticket while she was there. She scratched the ticket in the parking lot of Super Stop, 1418 E. 32nd St. in Joplin, and discovered a $10 winner. So, Shaffer returned to the store to buy another ticket. It was that ticket that held the top prize.

"I scratched off all the numbers, and they were all winners. Then I went back and scratched the first one off and it said $10,000," recalled Shaffer. "Then I started shaking, and I thought, 'I'm going to go home and finish scratching these off.'" When the retired school-teacher finished scratching the ticket later at home, Shaffer had won the top prize of $250,000. Her son, Greg, suggested they immediately travel to the Springfield Lottery office to claim the ticket.

"I think we're still in shock," she said. "I mean, I've been playing these for years and have never won over $100, so it's kind of strange."

Shaffer said the money would be used not only to pad her retirement account, but also to take care of "a lot of things."

"Right now, I need to put a roof on my house, which is going to cost about $5,000. I was thinking about selling my truck, so I wouldn't have to take it out of retirement," she said. Asked if that repair would ease her mind, Shaffer said, "You have no idea. It's amazing."

The regular Lottery player said she would continue to play her Pick 3 numbers and the occasional Scratchers ticket and offered this advice for other players.

"Not to give up, because, you know, I went for years without winning. And now it's paying off."

"$250,000 Mega Cash" is a $10 game that officially began Jan. 31, 2007. Five top prizes of $250,000 remain in the game.

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