Biggest Lottery Wins in Arkansas History

Written by Jackpot Staff

January 16, 2026

Since the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery began operations in 2009, a select few Arkansans have experienced the life-altering moment of winning massive jackpots. These rare victories represent human stories of unexpected fortune, careful decision-making, and the profound impact that sudden wealth can have on ordinary lives.

From a construction worker's record-breaking $177 million Mega Millions prize to a retiree's $25 million Powerball jackpot, Arkansas's lottery history is filled with fascinating tales of ordinary people experiencing extraordinary luck. But what happens after the winning numbers are drawn? How do these winners manage their newfound wealth, and what can we learn from their experiences?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the biggest lottery wins in Arkansas history, examine how winners handled their fortunes, and reveal the surprising ways these jackpots have impacted both individuals and the state's educational system.

Record-Breaking $177 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

When Eliberto Cantu, a 71-year-old construction worker from Lubbock, Texas, stopped at the All Stop Valero convenience store in Stuttgart, Arkansas on March 30, 2017, he had no idea his life was about to change forever. Cantu, who was working on a construction project near Hazen, purchased a Mega Millions ticket that would soon make Arkansas lottery history.

The winning numbers -17, 24, 27, 32, 58, and the Mega Ball 10 - matched perfectly with Cantu's ticket, earning him an astonishing $177 million jackpot. This win stands as the largest single lottery prize ever claimed in Arkansas and marked the first Mega Millions jackpot won in the state.

What makes Cantu's story particularly noteworthy is his approach to claiming the prize. Unlike many winners who rush to claim their winnings, Cantu demonstrated remarkable patience and foresight:

• He took several weeks to arrange his financial affairs before going public
• He consulted with financial advisors to create a comprehensive wealth management plan
• He established concrete goals for his newfound fortune, including travel and philanthropic work

At the press conference held at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery offices, Cantu expressed both gratitude and faith, saying "All I can say is, we're blessed – and keep buying lottery tickets!"

His win not only changed his life but also benefited the small town of Stuttgart, as the retailer that sold the winning ticket received a $50,000 bonus commission. The Cantu family's plans included extensive travel and rebuilding both their home church and its sister church, demonstrating a commitment to giving back to their community.

Arkansas Powerball Jackpot Winners

Arkansas has now produced two Powerball jackpot winners, marking two historic moments in the state’s lottery history.

The first came in January 2010, when Harold Bailey of Conway won $25 million, just months after Arkansas joined the Multi-State Lottery Association and began selling Powerball tickets in October 2009. Bailey purchased his winning ticket at a convenience store in Mayflower, Arkansas, making his victory especially notable for how quickly it occurred after Powerball launched in the state. At the time, his win became one of the largest lottery prizes ever claimed in Arkansas.

For more than 14 years, Bailey remained Arkansas’s only Powerball jackpot winner, despite hundreds of subsequent drawings, jackpot totals frequently climbing into the hundreds of millions of dollars, and thousands of Arkansans buying tickets for each draw.

That drought finally ended on December 25, 2025, when a single ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers in the Dec. 24 Powerball drawing to win a staggering $1.817 billion jackpot — the largest lottery prize ever won in Arkansas and the second-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history. The winning ticket holder also has the option to take a $834.9 million cash payout before taxes.

This landmark win confirmed Arkansas as a rare two-time Powerball jackpot state and highlighted just how extraordinary these victories are, given the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are approximately 1 in 292.2 million. While many Arkansas players have won significant secondary prizes over the years, only these two wins have reached the very top prize level in Powerball history.

Lucky for Life $5.75 Million in Pine Bluff

In February 2023, an unnamed 60-year-old resident of Pine Bluff made Arkansas lottery history by becoming the first and only person in the state ever to win the Lucky for Life grand prize. This fortunate player matched all five numbers (1, 7, 20, 21, 38) plus the Lucky Ball (15), securing a prize that offered two payment options:

• $7,000 per week for life
• A lump-sum payout of $5.75 million

The Pine Bluff resident elected to take the cash option, receiving $4,088,250 after federal and state taxes. This decision reflects a common preference among lottery winners for immediate control of capital rather than extended annuity payments.

The circumstances surrounding this historic win highlight the random nature of lottery success. The winner purchased just one $2 Lucky for Life ticket as a Quick Pick, where the terminal randomly selects numbers. The morning after the drawing, while enjoying the sunrise, he checked his numbers and discovered his life-changing win.

His reaction exemplifies the shock most winners experience: "I kept checking the numbers over and over to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me," he told lottery officials. When he showed his wife the winning numbers alongside his ticket, she confirmed the match but pragmatically asked, "What does that mean?"

The couple's approach to their windfall demonstrates prudent financial planning:

• They researched what they had won before traveling to Little Rock to verify their victory
• They immediately decided to consult a financial advisor
• They identified specific, modest goals for their wealth, including home renovations and a vehicle purchase
• They acknowledged needing time to "calm down before we make future plans for the money"

This measured response stands in stark contrast to the impulsive decisions that often lead lottery winners to financial ruin.

Arkansas's First LOTTO Jackpot

When the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery introduced LOTTO in September 2022, players eagerly anticipated the game's first jackpot winner. That historic moment arrived in April 2023 when a Sebastian County woman matched all six numbers (20, 12, 27, 10, 6, and 21) to claim $2.338 million.

This win established her as the 96th person to win a lottery prize worth $1 million or more in Arkansas since 2009. Notably, she purchased her winning ticket through the Jackpocket mobile app, representing an important shift in how modern players engage with lottery games.

Her story illustrates how lottery purchases often happen spontaneously rather than through careful planning. "I usually play Natural State Jackpot or Lucky for Life but purchased the LOTTO ticket on a whim," she told lottery officials. "The jackpot looked high, and since I've never played the game before, I decided to try that one."

The winner learned of her good fortune when Jackpocket called her the following Monday morning—a call she initially dismissed as spam because it came from New York. Upon listening to the voicemail and calling back, she was shocked to learn she had won the jackpot.

Her husband's initial skepticism—"he didn't believe me because we never win anything"—reflects how unexpected such large prizes feel even to their recipients. Her plans for the money included a family trip, a new house, and a motorcycle for her husband—substantial but measured purchases that suggest responsible financial management.

Regional Lottery Success Stories Across Arkansas

Beyond the record-holders, Arkansas has produced numerous significant lottery victories that represent life-changing amounts for winners across the state's diverse regions.

Pine Bluff: Arkansas's Lottery Hotspot

Pine Bluff has emerged as a particularly fortunate location for lottery winners:

• Kashema Marks won the largest ever Natural State Jackpot prize of $520,000
• An unnamed Pine Bluff resident claimed the Lucky for Life grand prize of $5.75 million
• Jonathan Love won a top prize of $500,000 from a $20 scratch-off ticket
• A Mega Millions ticket worth $1 million was sold at Super 1 Foods on Hazel Street

Bella Vista's Lucky Mistake

A Bella Vista couple, Darren and Lindsy L., won $230,000 in a May Natural State Jackpot drawing through a fortuitous error. Darren had intended to purchase Powerball tickets as a birthday gift for his wife but mistakenly bought Natural State Jackpot Quick Pick tickets instead. This mix-up resulted in the couple winning the $230,000 jackpot—proving that sometimes mistakes can be incredibly profitable!

Arkansas's New Anonymity Laws

An important development for Arkansas lottery winners occurred in 2021 when the state legislature passed Act 889, which became effective on July 28, 2021. This law fundamentally changed how lottery winners could protect their privacy by allowing winners of $500,000 or more to request that their records remain confidential and exempt from public disclosure.

This represented a significant shift from the historical requirement that all major lottery winners be publicly identified—a practice that had exposed previous winners to numerous challenges from individuals and organizations seeking money.

The anonymity protections include important limitations:

• For elected officials or their close relatives, confidentiality lasts only six months
• For ordinary lottery winners, records remain protected for three years before becoming public
• Winners must specifically request confidentiality; it's not automatic

Recent major winners have taken advantage of these protections. Both the Pine Bluff resident who won the Lucky for Life grand prize and the Sebastian County woman who won the first LOTTO jackpot elected to remain anonymous under this law.

Financial Guidance for Lottery Winners

Financial professionals recommend specific strategies for lottery winners to protect their newfound wealth:

• Don't make immediate life changes
• Avoid quitting jobs, purchasing luxury vehicles, or buying mansions right away
• Allow emotions to settle before making major decisions
• Keep the win private for as long as possible
• Assemble a professional team before claiming the prize
• Hire a lawyer specializing in estate planning and tax law
• Engage a financial advisor experienced with ultra-high-net-worth individuals
• Consider a philanthropic advisor if planning substantial charitable giving
• Understand the lump sum versus annuity decision
• Lump sum: Receive approximately 50-60% of the advertised jackpot immediately
• Annuity: Receive the full amount spread over 20-30 annual payments
• Consider your investment capability, self-discipline, and personal circumstances
• Prepare for tax implications
• Federal taxes will claim approximately 37% of winnings
• Arkansas state taxes add another 6.9%
• Combined taxes reduce take-home amounts to roughly 55-60% of the advertised prize

The Educational Impact: How Lottery Revenue Benefits Arkansas Students

Beyond individual winners, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has generated enormous benefits for students through scholarship funding. Since 2009, the lottery has:

• Sold over $8 billion in tickets
• Returned more than $1.5 billion to fund scholarships
• Awarded more than $5.6 billion in prizes to players
• Provided more than $467 million in retailer commissions
• Generated more than $190 million in state and federal tax revenue

These funds have supported over 822,000 college scholarships distributed by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. The scholarship programs include:

• The Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program
• The Arkansas Workforce Challenge Award for certificate programs in high-demand occupations
• The ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship Program for concurrent high school and college courses

This educational impact creates a direct connection between lottery wins and broader social benefit. When major prizes are won, the lottery operations simultaneously generate revenue that supports hundreds of thousands of Arkansas students in their pursuit of higher education.

How to Play Responsibly: Tips for Arkansas Lottery Participants

If you're inspired by these stories of lottery success, remember these important guidelines for responsible play:

• Set a budget and stick to it
• Only spend what you can afford to lose
• Never use money needed for essential expenses like rent or bills
• Understand the odds
• View lottery participation as entertainment with minimal expected return
• Don't consider playing the lottery as a financial strategy or investment
• Have a plan in case you win
• Know who you would contact first (attorney, financial advisor)
• Consider how you would protect your privacy
• Think about your priorities for using the money
• Play through secure, legitimate channels
• Purchase tickets from authorized Arkansas Lottery retailers
• Consider using secure lottery apps like Jackpot.com for convenience

The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. Lottery laws and claim rules may change and can vary based on individual circumstances. You should consult with a qualified legal or financial professional before making decisions related to lottery winnings.