A Missouri Lottery player in Howell County couldn’t believe it when she discovered she had won the first $77,777 top prize to be claimed on a “Sapphire 7s” Scratchers ticket.
“My eyes got big, and I was a little shaky,” the winner shared, before recounting the experience.
“My husband and I had finished grocery shopping, and he picked a couple of tickets for us,” she continued. “When we got to the car, he had me pick which one I wanted to scratch off.”
She did a double-take when she realized she had uncovered the sapphire symbol. That symbol meant she’d won all 15 prizes on the ticket for a grand total of $77,777.
“When I saw the sapphire sign, I thought, ‘Oh, wow!’” she laughed. “I said, ‘I’m going to check to see if this is really what I’m seeing!’”
The couple then headed back into Town & Country Supermarket, 719 E. Main St. in Willow Springs, to scan the ticket and verify the win.
“Well, today is a good day!” her husband exclaimed.
The winner added, “We both had winning tickets!”
Since the $5 game began at the end of March, “Sapphire 7s” players have won over $1.8 million in prizes. Currently, there are more than $12.2 million in unclaimed prizes, including four additional $77,777 top tier prizes.
In FY25 players in Howell County won more than $7.7 million in Missouri Lottery prizes, retailers received more than $645,000 in commissions and bonuses, and more than $459,000 in Lottery proceeds went to educational programs in the county.
