Texas Man Claims $177M Jackpot In Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A 71-year-old construction worker from Texas is the winner of the largest lottery jackpot ticket ever sold in Arkansas.

Arkansas Scholarship Lottery officials say 71-year-old Eliberto Cantu of Lubbock, Texas, purchased the winning ticket in a Mega Millions drawing worth $177 million. Cantu bought the ticket March 30 in Stuttgart, about 55 miles west of Little Rock.

Wearing a black cowboy hat and sunglasses, Cantu held up a giant prize check on Monday with his wife, Anita. A lottery spokesman says Cantu opted for a lump sum payout of $72 million.

Cantu is a regular lottery player who says he plans to use the prize money to do some traveling, as well as level and rebuild his home church.