The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery announced on 20/1 that Thomas McCawley, a Tontitown, Arkansas resident, won 100,000 USD after purchasing a 5 USD Fiery 5's scratch-off ticket.

Thomas McCawley receives his 100,000 USD lottery prize on 1/7/2025, as announced by the organizers on 20/1. Photo: Arkansas Scholarship Lottery

McCawley recounted stopping at a Z-Mart supermarket for lunch, where he decided to buy a scratch-off ticket. A regular buyer of 5 USD scratch-offs, he felt drawn to the Fiery 5's ticket on this occasion.

"I suddenly had a hunch", he said. "I felt like that ticket was calling to me".

Returning to work, he scratched the ticket, revealing the 100,000 USD prize in the first row. The discovery left him stunned.

"Initially, I couldn't believe it", he recalled. "It was hard to continue working knowing I had won the lottery".

He shared the news with his wife and family, who initially doubted his claim until he showed them the winning ticket. McCawley stated he plans to use some of the winnings to purchase a specialized wheelchair-accessible vehicle for his mother-in-law.

Hong Hanh (Via UPI)