Hume 'Cowboy' ropes in $250,000 Mega Millions lottery prize

Nevada Daily Mail

A Hume man is a quarter of a million dollars richer after claiming the Mega Millions prize from the June 5 drawing. James Spencer, a 50-year-old full-time tire shop owner and part-time team roper, said he was on his way to compete in a rodeo when he decided to scan his Quick Pick Mega Millions ticket at Pump 'N Pete's, 208 N. 14th St., in Rich Hill.

"I play $10 on Mega Millions every week," Spencer began. "When I scanned the ticket, I thought the clerk was lying. I couldn't believe it!"

The first-time Missouri Lottery winner admitted that he came in second at the rodeo later that day, but he "felt like a winner" for matching all five numbers drawn in the Mega Millions drawing. The winning numbers were: 37, 39, 42, 53 and 55.

Spencer plans to use the windfall to pay bills and visit his daughter in North Carolina.

As for advice for fellow Lottery players, he urged game enthusiasts to "keep trying."

"You never know when it could be your lucky day," Spencer concluded.

Mega Millions is a multi-lottery game that features jackpots starting at $12 million. Drawings are held on Tuesday and Friday nights at 10 p.m. To date, the largest Mega Millions jackpot was $656 million -- a prize split by three ticketholders in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.