(AUSTIN) – Chris Baker of Athens claimed the top prize in the $250,000 Bingo scratch-off ticket, but this isn’t the first time he’s won.
“I always play the Bingo tickets because I always have good luck with them,” said Baker. “I’ve won $500 three or four times and had a number of $50 and $75 winners.”
When he stopped by the Twin Stop #4, located at 806C W. Corsicana in Athens, he noticed the store had two versions of the game on display close to each other. Unable to decide between the orange and purple tickets, he bought one of each.
“I didn’t have time to do the Bingo game,” Baker explained. “I just scratched the bar code and stuck it under the machine. It said I was a winner, but it exceeded the limit of what they could pay. So I had the cashier check, and she couldn’t tell me how much I’d won, just that it exceeded the limit.”
On his way to the Texas Lottery® Claim Center in Tyler, curiosity got the best of Baker.
“I wanted to see if I’d won as much as I thought, so I pulled over and scratched the ticket. I’ve never been so excited in my life. It came at the perfect time.”
Immediately, Baker began calling friends, but no one would believe his story about the $250,000 prize.
“I’m known as a joker,” he admits.
It’s no joke. Baker won the eighth of nine top prizes in the older version of the $10 game. Overall odds of winning any $250,000 Bingo prize are one in 3.14, including break-even prizes.
“Many winners tell us they have a hard time convincing friends and family that they’ve really won, but real Texans claim Texas Lottery prizes each week,” said Texas Lottery Commission Deputy Executive Director Gary Grief. “Of course, with transfers to the Foundation School Fund of more than $11 billion since 1997, Texas education remains the biggest winner of all.”
Baker said he’s grateful for the win because it will allow him to pay off his home. As a church musician, he also wants to show his appreciation by tithing at his place of worship.
Still in shock, Baker said, “It’s almost like it’s not real.”
Tomorrow’s Mega Millions® jackpot is worth an estimated $27 million. Saturday’s Lotto Texas® jackpot is worth an estimated $25 million.
