72-year old Stephen Turpen of Hot Springs said he had to check his winning numbers about six times before it sunk in that he had won half of a million dollars.
Turpen claimed his $500,000 dollars at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Claim Center in Little Rock on Monday.
According to the ASL, Turpen bought the ticket this past Saturday while buying gas at the Valero Store located on N. Highway 7 in Hot Springs. He said at first he thought he had "only" won $500.
“Then I scratched off a comma and more zeros. I was elated. I was very happy. But I didn’t jump up and down or anything,” said Turpen, adding, “I’m just not that kind of guy. I walked back into the store and had the clerk scan the ticket. I signed it. Then I took it home and put it in the safe.”
Turpen says he and his fellow veteran friends have been having coffee together every morning at that Valero since it had been robbed six years ago in order to "try to keep the place a little safer."
“We’re just a group of local guys who have coffee together and try to keep the place a little safer.” Turpen added, “No one is gonna mess with a group of veterans.”
The 72-year-old has been a lottery player all of his life, according to the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. He plans to pay off some debts and then put the rest in savings but says his life won't change too much.
“I may buy a three-wheeler bike,” Turpen says with a wink. “but it’s up to momma,” he said, referencing his wife.
When asked if he plans to have coffee at the Valero tomorrow morning, Turpen said, “Oh yes, I was there this morning, too!”
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