Two waitresses at an Arkansas burger joint are disputing after one of the women ran off with a $300,000 lottery ticket intended to be split between the pair.
Leslie Underwood and her Sportsmans Drive-In co-worker, Mandy Vanhouten, were gifted the winning ticket as a Christmas bonus from their boss last Friday at the Stuttgart restaurant.
The manager, who ironically goes by the name Lucky, gifted the girls and other employees the tickets that were shared between duos.
Underwood and Vanhouten happened to be the Fortune instant ticket’s holders – before Vanhouten left her high and dry when she disappeared with the prize afterward.
Leslie Underwood (left) and her co-worker, Mandy Vanhouten (right) were gifted the winning ticket as a Christmas bonus from their boss last Friday, before Vanhouten ran off with the money
Vanhouten, who signed only her name on the check, is pictured smiling as she claimed the $300,000 prize Wednesday
A distraught Underwood since spoke with local Arkansas Matters about the matter.
‘It’s a little emotional,’ Underwood cried as she explained how the incident went down to the newspaper.
The girls had agreed to split to $10 ticket bought by Lucky from G&B Liquor Store in Stuttgart.
‘We talked about how life changing it would be and what we were going to do with this money,’ Underwood told the newspaper.
‘It’s a little emotional,’ Underwood cried as she explained how the incident went down to local KARK
‘She even talked about giving back since it was such a blessing.’
They arranged to claim the money at the start of the New Year, but it seems Vanhouten had already signed off on the prize Wednesday.
She was pictured beaming from ear to ear as she held up the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery check.
‘It was kind of like somebody died for somebody to tell you that they don’t think you deserve it and their decision has been made.
‘She decided to take it and run,’ Underwood said in the interview.
The girls, said to be longtime friend, worked together at the Sportsmans Drive-In (pictured) in Stuttgart
The heartbroken Underwood hasn’t seen her longtime friend and fellow waitress since.
She said she felt betrayed after helping Vanhouten get a job at ‘Best Burger in Town’ and ‘Best Place To Work’ eatery.
‘I put in a good word, stuck my neck out for her, let her stay with me so she didn’t have to drive back and forth,’ Underwood added.
‘I think that’s what hurt me the most is as much as I’ve done, she could have done right for once.’
The unlucky Underwood plans to take legal action if Vanhouten fails to follow through with their plans.