Stacy Thompson of Kansas City, Kan., told Kansas Lottery officials she seldom lets her husband pick out instant scratch tickets.
“That’s because he never picks winning tickets,” the 37-year-old explained. Despite her misgivings about his choices, Thompson asked her husband to pick up some tickets while he was at the store this past Saturday.
“And I wasn’t too happy when he brought home four $2 Double Bonus Crossword tickets either,” she said, with a laugh. “I can’t remember the last time I bought a $2 Crossword. I always buy the $5 and $10 Crosswords because they have better odds.”
Suffice it to say Thompson has had to change her mind about a couple of things. One of those tickets – the kind Thompson doesn’t like, picked out by her husband who “never picks out winning tickets” – was a $20,000 winner.
“It was the best decision, besides me, he has ever made,” joked the winner.
The $20,000 instant prize will help make one of Thompson’s dreams come true.
“We’re going house hunting,” she said. “This money gives us a great opportunity to look for a bigger house with a bigger yard.”
The bigger yard will come in handy for Thompson’s family. She and her husband both have 10-year-old sons. Thompson works for her father in the house painting and home remodeling business. Her husband just started a new welding job this week.
The winning ticket was purchased at Reich’s Club Inc., at 3405 Strong Ave. in Kansas City, Kan. There are 18 top prizes of $20,000 remaining in the Double Bonus Crossword game, along with over a million other cash prizes.
– Story and photo from the Kansas Lottery
