HUTCHINSON – While visiting the Kansas State Fair on Sunday, Keith and Tammy Bell of Great Bend stopped by the Kansas Lottery Building to try their luck at winning a “muscle car” in a second-chance drawing. Although they didn’t win the car, they did walk away with a $5,000 cash prize playing a $5 Muscle Car Money instant scratch ticket.
“Every year for the past five seasons, we’ve camped at the fair,” said Keith. “The only time we usually buy lottery tickets is at the Kansas Lottery Building, while we’re there. We like to spin the lottery wheel for prizes, too. The first weekend of the fair, we had good luck playing lottery games. This last Friday and Saturday, we didn’t have much luck.”
On Sunday, the Bells decided not to get discouraged and bought a couple more Muscle Car Money instant scratch tickets.
“I handed him one and kept one for myself,” said Tammy. “When he finished scratching his ticket, he looked over at me and said, ‘I think I have a winner here.’ He had matched three like symbols on his ticket, but hadn’t scratched off the prize amount, so we didn’t know how much he had won.”
After revealing the prize amount, the Great Bend residents asked Lottery officials to verify their winning ticket.
“We didn’t jump up and down, but we’re very excited to have won,” said Keith. “Timing is everything. I guess we weren’t supposed to win until now.”
The Bells, who have been married 26 years, have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. They were undecided on how they would spend their winnings.
The winning ticket was purchased at the Kansas Lottery Building at the Kansas State Fair, 2000 N. Poplar Street, in Hutchinson.
For more information on games, promotions, winning numbers, and unclaimed prizes, or to join the free Kansas Lottery Players Club, visit www.kslottery.com.