Hoisington Winner Plans to Pay off Home with Lottery Prize

TOPEKA, KAN. – Mary “Evelyn” VanSteenburgh is an avid player of Kansas Lottery instant scratch games, especially $20 tickets.

“I used to only buy $1 and $2 tickets,” said the 76-year-old Hoisington woman. “Now I almost always buy $20 tickets because I win more often.”

The odds certainly worked in VanSteenburgh’s favor over the weekend when she uncovered a $100,000 top prize on a $20 Lucky Jewels ticket.

“I only bought one ticket,” she told Lottery officials. “When I saw I had won a $100,000 prize, I couldn’t believe it! I looked at the ticket several times, even with a magnifying glass, to make sure it was a winner. Still, I didn’t totally believe it until I got here.”

VanSteenburgh said she couldn’t sleep at all Saturday night after scratching the ticket, and neither could her husband.  She kept the winning ticket in her purse and kept the purse right beside her until claiming it at Lottery headquarters today. VanSteenburgh plans to pay off their home with the $100,000 prize.

The winner purchased her Lucky Jewels ticket at Kwik Shop 747, located at 2334 Main Street. The $100,000 prize was the last top prize in the $20 game.

In addition to playing $20 scratch tickets, VanSteenburgh has another Kansas Lottery passion. She plays Pick 3 every day. 

“I won $1,000 just last week playing Pick 3,” the lucky winner said.

When she plays Pick 3, VanSteenburgh picks some numbers herself and lets the computer pick some, but always makes sure to have one “exact order” play and one “any order” play, a method that seems to be paying off for her.