Countdown to Midwest Millions Drawing

Time is running out for you to enter next month’s “Midwest Millions” drawing for a chance at the top prize of $500,000 or one of five prizes of $10,000! The game’s first drawing is set for Jan. 9, and the deadline to enter it is Jan. 2. So, if you didn’t win an instant prize on your Midwest Millions scratch ticket, fill out the information on the back of the ticket, put a first-class stamp on it and mail it in like a postcard. Or, you can drop it off at one of our regional offices in Council Bluffs, Storm Lake, Des Moines, Mason City or Cedar Rapids. The Iowa Lottery had both of the $500,000 winners in last year’s Midwest Millions game. We’re excited to see which state comes out on top in this year’s game – Iowa or Kansas! You may remember that we debuted the initial version of Midwest Millions last fall along with the Kansas Lottery. We were the first lotteries in the United States to offer a joint instant-scratch game where players in both states bought tickets and competed for prizes as part of one big pool. The idea behind Midwest Millions is that by joining together, lotteries can offer games with bigger prizes and more chances to win than they would have been able to produce on their own. We know players always want bigger prizes – and more of them – and we’re doing our best to deliver! Click here to learn more about Midwest Millions. Don’t forget to put your name in the running for the Jan. 9 drawing! I’ll be taking a few days off for the holidays here at ialotteryblog, but I’ll have a new entry ready to go on Dec. 29! See you back here in a few days!

Ralph Kuwamoto won the first $500,00 prize in last year’s Midwest Millions game. Ralph lives in Lincoln, Neb., but bought his ticket while working near Glenwood in southwest Iowa.

Stephen Zabel of Conesville won the second $500,000 prize in last year’s Midwest Millions game. He and his wife Diana celebrated as he claimed the prize.