ialottery blog

How Many Big Lottery Prizes Have Been Won In Iowa?

Here’s a question that comes our way and appears to have origins in the urban myth that “no one from here ever wins”: How many big lottery prizes have been won in Iowa?

The first hurdle that likely needs to be cleared is how you define the term “big lottery prize.” For simplicity’s sake, I started out with the threshold of $5 million, and then looked at our winners’ lists to determine how many of those prizes have been won through the years here in Iowa. The answer? Iowa Lottery players have won 25 prizes of at least $5 million.

If that level isn’t considered big enough by someone’s definition, we can jump up to the $10 million level. The answer there: Iowa Lottery players have won 13 prizes of at least that amount.

If you keep going up, lottery players in this state have won five prizes of at least $100 million. And the very largest lottery prize claimed to date in Iowa is a $343.9 million Powerball® jackpot that was won in late 2018.

I know some folks won’t ever truly be satisfied with our “big winner” definitions until their name is on the list, but the specifics I’ve shared here show that Iowans have taken home a lot of significant prizes through the years.

Under state law, the Iowa Lottery winners’ lists are public, so we keep a millionaire’s list on our website that shows all the prizes of at least $1 million won in Iowa as well as a list of all winners of $600 or more within the past 12 months.

Player Comment: I Don’t Understand The Power Play/Megaplier Option …

Now that we’re a little ways out from last month’s hub-bub when the jackpots were sky-high in Powerball® and Mega Millions®, I’m circling back to a question we got at the time from folks who said they just don’t understand the Power Play® and Megaplier® options or what they mean.

The Power Play and Megaplier both cost an extra $1 per play. They’re called multipliers because they multiply any prize you win except the jackpot.

For the Power Play or Megaplier to kick in, you first have to win a prize in a drawing. If you win a prize and you've added the multiplier option to your ticket, in most instances, your prize will be multiplied by that number. (Remember that the jackpot amount is not multiplied in either game, and in Powerball, the $1 million Match 5 prize goes to $2 million with the Power Play added.) 

Here are a couple examples to help with the explanation:

1.) You added the Power Play option to your Powerball ticket but you didn't win a prize. In that case, nothing more happens – you didn't win anything, so there’s no prize for the Power Play to multiply.

2.) You win a $500 Mega Millions prize by matching four of the five white balls in that night’s drawing. You added the Megaplier option to your ticket and the Megaplier number that night is 4. Your initial $500 prize will be multiplied by 4, so you’ll ultimately win a $2,000 prize because you added the Megaplier option!

If you’re more a visual learner, we also cover this topic in our "How To Play" videos. Click here for a link to the main page for the videos.

And not to be left out, there also is a multiplier option in the Lotto America® game. It’s called the All Star Bonus® and also costs an extra $1 per play.

Good luck with your tickets and we hope to see you claim a big prize soon!

$150,000 Winners: She Pledges Not To Complain If He Doesn’t Have His Glasses

After all the hub-bub surrounding the big jackpots in Powerball® and Mega Millions®, here’s a fun story about some Iowa winners. They may not have won a jackpot, but their story still packs a punch: They won a $150,000 Powerball prize because the husband made a mistake while filling out their play slip.   

Barbara Haley of Sioux City claimed their prize this week at the Iowa Lottery’s regional office in Storm Lake. She said that she and her husband, Steve, have played the same numbers in Powerball for years, basing them on family birthdays. But when Steve filled out their play slip this particular time, he got one of the numbers wrong, marking an 8 instead of a 9.

Barbara admitted that she often razzes Steve for not wearing his glasses, but says she’ll stop complaining about that now!

Thinking that their ticket contained a slightly different set of numbers, the Haleys believed they’d won $300 and decided to claim the prize during a stop for groceries. Barbara said she started shopping while Steve went to cash in the ticket. But pretty soon she heard a store announcement asking her to go to customer service. When she got there, she learned they’d won a lot more than $300.

The Haleys’ ticket initially won a $50,000 prize in Saturday’s Powerball drawing by matching four of the five white balls and the Powerball. But because they added the Power Play option to their ticket for an extra $1, their prize was multiplied to $150,000.       

The winning numbers in Saturday’s drawing were 5-8-17-27-28 and Powerball 14. The Power Play number was 3. I’ve included a shot of the Haleys’ winning ticket here so you can see the numbers they matched.

Was it a happy accident? A little extra luck? Whatever you call it, that’s a fun outcome!

Both Huge Jackpots Have Now Been Won

The giant Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots have now both been won. The $1 billion jackpot in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing was won by a ticket purchased in Michigan, while Wednesday’s $731.1 million Powerball jackpot was won by a ticket in Maryland.

This was first time that the games’ jackpots had simultaneously topped the $700 million mark.

Drawing Details, Iowa Tickets That Won Prizes  

A total of 50,106 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing.

The winning numbers in Friday’s drawing were: 4-26-42-50-60 and Mega Ball 24. The Megaplier number was 2.

In Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, 41,368 plays purchased in Iowa won prizes, so between the two games, Iowa players won prizes on more than 91,000 plays in the latest drawings.

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2.7 million in Mega Millions tickets for Friday’s drawing, including more than $1.8 million in tickets on Friday alone. Given the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, those figures are understandably both well down from sales totals during other recent times with giant jackpots.

The average Mega Millions purchase on Friday in Iowa remained about $6, or three plays per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that Iowans had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

Easy Pick vs. Your Own Numbers

The vast majority of tickets being purchased in Powerball and Mega Millions are easy picks, meaning that the player opted to have the lottery terminal randomly select the numbers involved. Nearly 94 percent of the plays purchased for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

The odds of winning are the same for every ticket in the games, whether the player buys an easy pick or chooses their own numbers. There are more easy-pick winners simply because most of the tickets being purchased are easy picks.

The ‘Longest Roll’

The length of time that a jackpot continues to grow is often referred to as a roll, meaning that it keeps rolling without being hit. Powerball and Mega Millions both just ended their longest rolls ever. Friday’s drawing was the 37th since the Mega Millions jackpot had last been won on Sept. 15 while Wednesday’s drawing was the 36th since the Powerball jackpot had last been won Sept. 16.

Powerball Jackpot Won, Mega Millions Climbs Even Higher

UPDATE on Friday, Jan. 22: The jackpot for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised even further, now at an estimated $1 billion annuity. The new details are included here.

The long, fun roll for the Powerball® jackpot has ended, while the giant prize in Mega Millions® is still in the stratosphere.

Last night’s $731.1 million Powerball jackpot was won with a ticket purchased in Maryland. But the Mega Millions jackpot continues on, currently standing at an estimated $1 billion annuity, $739.6 million lump-sum option for that game’s next drawing at 10 p.m. Friday.

Drawing Details, Iowa Tickets That Won Prizes  

A total of 41,368 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in last night’s Powerball drawing, ranging from $4 up to $50,000.

The $50,000-winning ticket was just one number away from having a share of Wednesday’s jackpot, matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. That ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 1200 Fifth Ave. NE in Independence.

The winning numbers in last night’s Powerball drawing were: 40-53-60-68-69 and Powerball 22. The Power Play number was 3.

In Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, 35,826 plays in Iowa won prizes, so between the two games, Iowa players have won prizes on more than 77,000 plays so far just this week.

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2.4 million in Powerball tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $1 million in tickets yesterday alone. Given the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, those figures are understandably both well down from sales totals during other recent times with giant jackpots.

The average Powerball purchase yesterday in Iowa remained about $6, or three plays per ticket. Lottery officials are glad to see that Iowans are having fun playing but haven’t gone overboard.

Huge Numbers For Easy Picks 

The vast majority of tickets being purchased in both games are easy picks, meaning that the players opted to have the lottery terminal randomly select the numbers involved. More than 91 percent of the plays purchased for last night’s Powerball drawing were easy picks, while nearly 94 percent of the tickets purchased for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

The odds of winning are the same for every ticket in the games, whether the player buys an easy pick or chooses their own numbers. There are more easy-pick winners simply because most of the tickets being purchased are easy picks.

Anecdotes About Less Pool Play

A new phenomenon being seen in Iowa during this big jackpot run appears to be an offshoot of so many people working from home during the COVID-19 health emergency.

Anecdotally, Iowa Lottery retailers report they’re not seeing as many players buying tickets in office pools or with groups of friends and neighbors. Remaining socially distanced means a lot of folks aren’t gathering in those central spots where they would have joined in pool play.            

The ‘Longest Roll’

The length of time that a jackpot continues to grow is often referred to as a roll, meaning that it keeps rolling without being hit. Powerball just ended its longest roll ever: Wednesday’s drawing was the 36th since that game’s jackpot had been won on Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York.

The Mega Millions jackpot also is on its longest roll – and it’s still going! Friday’s drawing will be the 37th since the Mega Millions jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin.

What’s That About ‘Coverage’?

By tracking sales, lottery officials can estimate how many of all the possible combinations have been purchased for a particular drawing. The coverage estimate for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is about 40 percent. (The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are about 1 in 302.6 million because that’s how many ways the numbers in the game can be combined in a play.)

All The Latest About Those Jackpots!

Here are the latest details about the giant jackpots!
 
Nobody won the jackpot in last night’s Mega Millions® drawing, so that giant prize climbs even further, to an estimated $970 million annuity, $716.3 million lump-sum option for the game’s drawing on Friday. That’s the second-largest prize in the history of the game and the third-largest jackpot ever offered in the United States. 

And the Powerball® jackpot currently stands at an estimated $730 million annuity, $546 million lump-sum option for its drawing tonight. That’s the fourth-largest prize in Powerball history and the fifth-largest U.S. jackpot.

This is the first time the games’ jackpots have simultaneously topped the $700 million mark. But the record for a lottery prize remains the Powerball jackpot of nearly $1.59 billion that was split in January 2016 by winners in California, Florida and Tennessee. 

Last Night’s Drawing Details, Iowa Tickets That Won Prizes  

The winning numbers in last night’s Mega Millions drawing were: 10-19-26-28-50 and Mega Ball 16. The Megaplier number was 2.

A total of 35,826 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in last night’s drawing.
Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2 million in Mega Millions tickets for the drawing, including more than $1 million in tickets yesterday alone. Given the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, those figures are understandably both well down from sales totals during other recent years with giant jackpots.

Here is another number we watch closely: The average Mega Millions purchase yesterday in Iowa remained about $6, or three plays per ticket. We’re glad to see that Iowans are having fun playing, but they aren’t going overboard.

Now The ‘Longest Roll’

The length of time that a jackpot continues to grow is often referred to as a roll, meaning that it keeps rolling without being hit. Friday’s drawing will be the 37th since the Mega Millions jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin. This is now the longest Mega Millions jackpot roll.

Powerball also is on its longest roll. Tonight’s drawing is the 36th since that game’s jackpot was last won on Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York. 

Easy Pick vs. Your Own Numbers

Nearly 94 percent of the tickets purchased for last night’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks, meaning that the players opted for the lottery terminal to randomly select the numbers involved.

We know that some people wonder which option has a better chance of winning: easy picks or tickets where the player chooses the numbers. The answer? The odds are the same for every ticket in the game. But there are more easy-pick winners simply because most of the tickets purchased are easy picks.

Details About ‘Coverage’

By tracking sales, lottery officials can estimate how many of all the possible combinations have been purchased for a particular drawing. (The odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are about 1 in 292.2 million because there are about 292.2 million ways that the numbers in the game can be combined to make a play. And in Mega Millions, the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million because that’s how many ways the numbers in that game can be combined in a play.)

Nearly 30 percent of the combinations had been purchased for the last Powerball drawing on Saturday (Jan. 16). And, the coverage estimate for this coming Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is about 40 percent.

A Few Gentle Reminders 

We’ve also got these gentle reminders when it comes to buying tickets for upcoming jackpot drawings:

• Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is at 8:59 p.m. the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize. 
• And, please remember to play responsibly. You only need one ticket to have a chance to win. 
• We also want everyone to be safe and continue following social distancing guidelines when you’re out and about. Think about buying your tickets if you're already out running errands rather than making a special trip to get them. 

Mega Millions And Powerball Push Even Higher

UPDATE on Tuesday, Jan. 19: The jackpot for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised even further. The new details are included here.

The Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots have made it through another round of drawings and are in the Top 5 for each game. Mega Millions has the second-largest prize in the history of that game, while Powerball now has the fourth-largest prize in that game.

Three Iowa tickets – one in Mega Millions and two in Powerball – were just one number away from having at least a share of this past weekend's jackpots and each won a sizeable prize.  

This is the first time the jackpots have simultaneously topped the $700 million mark.

Mega Millions has the next drawing up, at 10 p.m. Tuesday. Its jackpot now stands at an estimated $865 million annuity, $638.8 million lump-sum option. The Mega Millions jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin, and it hasn’t been this big for more than two years.

Powerball’s jackpot now stands at an estimated $730 million annuity, $546 million lump-sum option for its next drawing at 9:59 p.m. Wednesday. The game’s top prize was last won Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York, and it hasn’t been this big for nearly two years. 

Iowa Tickets That Came Close This Weekend

Three Iowa tickets were just one number away from a jackpot this weekend.

A ticket purchased at an eastern Iowa convenience store was just one number away from Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot, matching four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball. That ticket, which won a $10,000 prize, was purchased at Kwik Star, 803 Seventh Ave. in Camanche.    

And two Iowa tickets were just one number away from Saturday’s Powerball jackpot. They each won a prize of $50,000 by matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. They were purchased at Kwik Star, 3350 U.S. Highway 71 South in Spirit Lake; and Kum & Go, 2303 Muscatine Ave. in Iowa City.

The three prizes must be claimed directly from the Iowa Lottery. With its offices closed on weekends and on Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Tuesday is the earliest that the prizes can be claimed.

What’s That About ‘Coverage’?

By tracking sales, lottery officials can estimate how many of all the possible combinations have been purchased for a particular drawing. (The odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are about 1 in 292.2 million because there are about 292.2 million ways that the numbers in the game can be combined to make a play. And in Mega Millions, the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million because that’s how many ways the numbers in the game can be combined in a play.)

Nearly 30 percent of the combinations were purchased in Saturday’s Powerball drawing. And, the coverage estimate for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing is about 36 percent.

General Pointers

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is at 8:59 p.m. the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize. 

And, please remember to play responsibly. You only need one ticket to have a chance to win. 

We also want everyone to be safe and continue following social distancing guidelines when you’re out and about. Think about buying your tickets if you’re already out running errands so you don’t have to make a special trip to get them.

(I’ve posted lots of other jackpot details here on the blog this month, so feel free to check those out. I’m doing my best to keep providing new angles as the jackpots continue to grow.)

Mega Millions and Powerball Jackpots Now Both In The Top Five

They just keep rollin’! The jackpots in Mega Millions® and Powerball® continue to grow, with both now in the Top 5 for each game.  

The Mega Millions® jackpot is currently the second largest in the history of that game. Not to be left out, Powerball® has the fifth-largest jackpot in that game.

Mega Millions has the next drawing up, at 10 p.m. tomorrow. Its jackpot currently stands at an estimated $750 million annuity, $550.6 million lump-sum option. The Mega Millions jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin, and it hasn’t been this big for more than two years.

The next Powerball drawing will be at 9:59 p.m. Saturday. The game’s jackpot currently stands at an estimated $640 million annuity, $478.7 million lump-sum option. Powerball’s top prize was last won Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York, and it hasn’t been this big for more than four years.

How Close Are We To The Records?

While the jackpots have both been growing for months, there’s still a lot of room to go before they would reach the overall record amounts.

Powerball holds the current record for a U.S. lottery prize. That jackpot of $1.586 billion was won in the drawing on Jan. 13, 2016, split by three tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee.

The largest jackpot in Mega Millions is close behind. That prize of $1.537 billion was won in the drawing on Oct. 23, 2018, by a ticket purchased in South Carolina.

Easy Pick vs. Your Own Numbers

There is debate about which option has a better chance of winning: an easy-pick ticket where the lottery terminal randomly selects the numbers involved, or a ticket where the player chooses the numbers. The answer? The odds are the same for every ticket in the game. There are more easy-pick winners because most tickets purchased are easy picks. In recent drawings, for example, more than 90 percent of the plays purchased in Iowa were easy picks.

Annuity vs. Lump-Sum Option

The jackpot winner gets to choose whether to claim the prize in annuitized payments over time or in the lump-sum option. Lotteries give estimates for both amounts in the lead-up to the drawings. The lump-sum value is the amount of money on hand from the sale of tickets in the game. The annuitized value is the amount the winner would receive in graduated payments over time. If you are buying tickets as part of a group that wins a jackpot, the entire group must decide on one option. Some members of the group can’t choose the lump sum while others choose annuity.

(I’ve posted other jackpot updates here on the blog this week, and those earlier posts include additional details you may also want check out. I’m doing my best to keep providing new angles for us all to consider as the jackpots continue to grow.)

All The Latest: The Powerball and Mega Millions Jackpots Both In Top 10

UPDATE on Tuesday, Jan. 12: The jackpot for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised further. The new details are included here.

The Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots are both now in the Top 10 for each game, with a combined total of more than $1 billion.  

Mega Millions has the next drawing up, at 10 p.m. Tuesday. The Mega Millions jackpot has been raised again and now stands at an estimated $625 million annuity, $458.8 million lump-sum option. That is the fourth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. The game’s jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin, and it hasn’t been this big for more than two years.

The next Powerball drawing happens at 9:59 p.m. Wednesday. The Powerball jackpot currently stands at an estimated $550 million annuity, $411.4 million lump-sum option. That is the ninth largest jackpot in Powerball history. The game’s top prize was last won on Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York, and it hasn’t been this big for more than four years.

This is just the second time that the jackpots have simultaneously topped the $500 million mark. The first time that happened was in October 2018 when the Mega Millions jackpot reached a record amount for that game of more than $1.5 billion. 

When the jackpots are this large, we often see people deciding to buy tickets together, whether as part of an office pool or with friends and neighbors. The Iowa Lottery keeps a list of reminders on our website to help your keep group play hassle free. Among them: Keep a careful list of who puts in money to buy tickets in your pool, and how much they contributed. And, send a photo of your group’s tickets to all pool members before the drawing so everyone can see the details involved.

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is at 8:59 p.m. the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after the deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing, and you would not be in the running for that night’s giant prize.  

With all the weight and pressure we’ve been feeling during the ongoing public-health emergency, maybe it's nice to have something like these jackpots to think about and take a break to do some daydreaming. But as we at the Iowa Lottery have said so many times through the years, remember to play smart and be informed. It only takes one ticket for a chance to win.

And to all lottery players, please be safe and continue following social distancing guidelines when you’re out and about. Think about buying your tickets if you’re already out running errands so you don’t have to make a special trip to get them. First and foremost, we want everyone to stay safe during the ongoing health emergency.

We also have gotten questions from the “plan aheaders” out there – those folks who want to know what to expect if they win one of the giant jackpots. We’ve got a video about that, which covers everything from the taxes involved to what you would need to do to claim the prize. Check that out here.

Mega Millions & Powerball Jackpots Combined Are Pushing $1 Billion

The jackpots in Mega Millions® and Powerball® continue their way up and are both now in the Top 10 for each game. The two giant jackpots combined are pushing $1 billion, with the Mega Millions prize amount raised earlier today.

The estimated Mega Millions jackpot for that game’s next drawing tomorrow night now stands at an estimated $520 million annuity, $383.4 million lump-sum option. That’s the 8^th-largest jackpot in the history of the game.

Powerball is nearly as big. Its next drawing is Saturday night, and the jackpot currently stands at an estimated $470 million annuity, $362.7 million lump-sum option. That makes it the 10^th largest jackpot in the history of the game.

Both jackpots have been growing for nearly an identical length of time. Powerball was last won in its drawing on Sept. 15, while Mega Millions was last won on Sept. 16. And now that the prizes are really getting up there, sales are picking up across the country.

This is only the third time that the two jackpots have topped $450 million at the same time.

But like so much else these days, the jackpots have been impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. The jackpots are primarily sales driven, and for months now, folks in wide swaths of the country haven’t been able to run errands or buy everyday items (including lotto tickets) like they normally might in a non-pandemic time. That’s kept the jackpots in both games tamped down. And when the jackpots are lower, sales overall in the games are lower. It can become a bit of a repeating cycle.

So, it’s interesting that both jackpots are on a roll right now, and they’re really close in amount. Hopefully this can be something lighthearted to help give everyone a break to just daydream for awhile. And as we’ve said so many times through the years, remember to play responsibly. It only takes one ticket for a chance to win.

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is at 8:59 p.m. the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize.

For Only The Third Time: Jackpots Simultaneously Top $400 Million

UPDATE on Wednesday, Jan. 6: With no jackpot winner in Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing, that giant prize has risen further. Powerball's drawing is tonight! The new details are included here.

Something pretty rare is happening right now in Powerball® and Mega Millions®. For just the third time ever, the games' jackpots have simultaneously topped $400 million.

The Mega Millions jackpot now stands at an estimated $490 million annuity, $372.3 million lump-sum option for its drawing on Friday. The game’s jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin, and it hasn’t been this big for six months. It had reached $410 million in the drawing on June 9 when it was won with a ticket in Arizona.

The next Powerball drawing happens at 9:59 p.m. Wednesday. The Powerball jackpot currently stands at an estimated $410 million annuity, $316.4 million lump-sum option. The game’s top prize was last won on Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York. And it hasn’t been this big for nearly a year. The jackpot had reached $396.9 million when it was won in the drawing on Jan. 29 with a ticket in Florida.

Like so much else these days, the jackpots in both games have been impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. The jackpots are primarily sales driven, and for months now, folks in wide swaths of the country haven’t been able to run errands or buy everyday items (including lotto tickets) like they normally might in a non-pandemic time. That’s kept the jackpots in both games tamped down. And when the jackpots are lower, sales overall in the games are lower. It can become a bit of a repeating cycle.

So, it’s interesting that both jackpots are on a roll right now, and they’re really close in amount. Hopefully this can be something lighthearted to help give everyone a break to have some fun daydreaming during this trying time. And as we’ve said so many times through the years, remember to play responsibly. It only takes one ticket for a chance to win.

Here’s something we’re still watching during the current jackpot run: Human beings procrastinate about lots of things, and that applies to lottery tickets, too. The day of the drawing in Mega Millions and Powerball always sees the highest sales, and in Iowa, the busiest stretch has usually been from about 4 to 6 p.m. that day as folks left work and ran errands on the way home. But with so many people working from home right now, we’re still tracking the numbers to see if purchasing patterns will have changed this time around. The commute home from work just doesn’t exist in many instances now.   

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is 8:59 p.m. the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize.

The Back-and-Forth Jackpot Race Is Still Going!

As 2020 draws to a close, a friendly competition has sprung up between the nation’s big-jackpot games, with Powerball® and Mega Millions® going back and forth for which one has the highest top prize. The games’ jackpots have both been growing for nearly the same length of time – since mid-September – and it’s become a bit of a race to see which big prize will be won first.

Mega Millions has the next drawing, which happens tomorrow night. The game’s jackpot stands at an estimated $330 million annuity, $252.8 million lump-sum option. The jackpot was last won on Sept. 15 with a ticket purchased in Wisconsin, and it hasn’t been this big for six months. It had reached $410 million in the drawing on June 9 when it was won with a ticket in Arizona.

The next Powerball drawing will be Wednesday night. That game’s jackpot stands at an estimated $321 million annuity, $247.1 million lump-sum option. Powerball’s top prize was last won on Sept. 16 with a ticket purchased in New York. And it hasn’t been this big for nearly a year. The jackpot had reached $396.9 million when it was won in the drawing on Jan. 29 with a ticket in Florida.

Like so much else these days, both jackpots have definitely been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The games’ jackpot amounts are driven by sales, and for much of this year, folks in wide swaths of the country haven’t been able to run errands or buy everyday items (including lotto tickets) as they normally might in a non-pandemic time.

That’s tamped down the jackpot amounts in both games. And when the jackpots are lower, sales overall in the games are lower, too. It becomes a bit of a repeating cycle, and that’s been the case for much of this year.

So, it’s interesting that both jackpots are on a roll right now, and they’re really close in amount. We’re calling them dueling jackpots, and it will be fun to see which one will go out first!

There was a close call here in Iowa on Saturday. Someone who bought a ticket in central Iowa was just one number away from winning at least a share of Saturday’s Powerball jackpot. The ticket ended up winning a $50,000 prize by matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. That ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 870 NE Alice’s Road in Waukee.

BIG Start To The Week! Prizes Of $276,296 And $300,000 Claimed On Same Day

Maybe Mondays aren’t so bad after all! Our week started out with a definite rush as two players both claimed big prizes within about an hour of each other.

First up was Marissa Besler of Monticello, who claimed one of the top prizes in our “Colossal Crossword” scratch game. Her $300,000 win was quickly followed by Don Burd of Hiawatha, who claimed a jackpot of $276,296 in the “Extreme Green Progressive” InstaPlay game. That’s the biggest prize ever won in an InstaPlay game since the product debuted four years ago in Iowa!

The same theme runs through Marissa and Don’s stories: Disbelief.

Marissa is 34 and an occupational therapist assistant. She said she was shocked when she realized she’d won $300,000 on a lottery ticket she scratched while waiting on a load of laundry. She said she wandered around her house for a while to catch her breath, then downloaded the Iowa Lottery app on her phone so she could scan her ticket, which she bought at Great Pastimes in Monticello. The app verified her win and she said she was in even more disbelief!

Marissa has some real-world plans for her winnings: She said that having no mortgage or a car payment will be a huge weight off her shoulders.

In Don’s case, it was his wife who initially couldn’t believe he’d won a giant InstaPlay prize. Don said he bought a handful of tickets in the Extreme Green Progressive game on Sunday and realized that one of them had won the game’s jackpot, which had climbed to $276,296. He said he called his wife, Shawnee, right away to share the news. He told her he’d hit the game’s jackpot and then said how much it was. He said she really didn’t believe him, but it was definitely real!

Burd, 56, who owns the Otter Creek Country Store in Robins where bought his winning ticket, said he’s still figuring out exactly what he’ll do with his winnings. But he'll definitely continue to help a good cause in his area. Burd donates the fuel needed by his local fire department to help support its critical work.

Congratulations, Marissa and Don! Thanks for helping our week get off to a great start. Woo-hoo, indeed!

Player Question: Why Is There A Sales Cut-Off Before A Drawing?

A player who emailed us with questions about our lotto drawings unfortunately had some conspiracy theories to share as well, so I’m addressing those here in case the same rumor has made it way to you.

The player wondered why there is a sales cut-off time before the drawings in games like Powerball® and Mega Millions®. The player said he wants people to be able to buy tickets right up until the time of the drawing, arguing that doing so would eliminate the rumored possibility he’s heard that drawing officials sometimes spray a substance on the drawing balls used in lottery drawings to keep certain numbers from being selected.

That last part isn’t true, and the sales cut-off times in the games are there for a reason. Here’s the back story:

Sales cut-off times are one of the security processes that lotteries use to ensure that everything is ready to go for a drawing. With millions – and sometimes billions – of dollars involved in our drawings, it’s obviously important that mistakes are avoided!

Before a drawing can be held, all the lotteries in that game have to verify that their sales figures balance and all plays are recorded in the system. It’s a meticulous process, and we know it’s what the public expects.

The good news is that as computer speeds and technology have improved through the years, it now requires much less time to accomplish that work. So today, our sales cut-off times here in Iowa are an hour or less before our drawings. Years ago, the sales cut-off times were often two hours before the drawing, but we’ve been able to reduce that. And we hope it’s a convenience for our players and retailers.

I would imagine there will always be some time required for balancing and verification before a drawing can happen, but perhaps in the future, the time involved can be even shorter than it is today.

The exact sales cut-off times vary from state to state, depending upon the requirements in that particular state. Check your state lottery’s website for the information that applies in your area.

And when it comes to the drawings themselves, there are multiple layers of security involved.

For example, the machines and sets of numbered balls used in the drawings are kept in double-locked and sealed vaults, and are only taken out when the drawing manager, security officer, and independent auditor are all present.

And those aren’t ping-pong balls in the machines. The drawing balls are actually made of rubber and have to meet exact specifications through testing, weighing and measuring.

Multiple sets of balls are available for the drawings along with multiple sets of machines. The exact machines and numbered balls used in each drawing are randomly selected and everything that happens with them once they’re out of the vault is recorded on audio and video.

There also are testing procedures leading up to each drawing, with the entire process carried out under the supervision of an auditor and security officials.

A Busy Handful Of Days In Our InstaPlay Progressive Games!

The past few days have been busy ones when it comes to jackpot winners in our InstaPlay Progressive games. Since Friday, players have won four progressive jackpots, with the latest in the Loose Change Progressive InstaPlay game.

A lot of folks are already familiar with the concept of progressive games, but if that term is new to you, they’re referred to by that term because their jackpots have a starting amount, and then the grand prize grows progressively larger with each ticket sold statewide until it’s won. The amount of the starting jackpot varies by game and price point. As you would anticipate, higher price-point games have a higher starting jackpot amount and those jackpots grow more quickly. 

We currently have five progressive InstaPlay games here in Iowa, and since Friday, Iowa players have won four jackpots in them. Friday (Aug. 7) was especially busy, with three progressive jackpots won on that day alone.

Two progressive InstaPlay jackpots were won Friday afternoon. Someone who bought a Jumbo Bucks Progressive InstaPlay ticket at Casey’s, 500 W. Main St. in Seymour, won a jackpot of $30,303.25 in that game. And, a Cherry Twist Progressive InstaPlay ticket purchased at Casey’s, 1001 E. Main St. in Ottumwa, won that game’s jackpot of $23,582.60.

Another progressive jackpot was won Friday evening. A Loose Change Progressive InstaPlay ticket purchased at Casey's, 319 E. Highway 3 in Goldfield, won that game’s jackpot of $1,287.84.

Then yesterday, another progressive jackpot was hit, this time in Dubuque. That prize of $975.04 in the Loose Change Progressive game was won with a ticket purchased at Hy-Vee, 3500 Dodge St. in Dubuque. 

It’s been exciting to see so many progressive-jackpot winners, and they’re definitely an indication of the growing popularity of InstaPlay games here in Iowa.

Curbside Prize Claims Reminder: Our Offices Are Closed Tomorrow

It’s been a very busy and successful first month of curbside prize claims at the Iowa Lottery, and we’re glad to see that our players have found the process convenient and easy to use. And hey, we’re just glad to be able to interact with people again!

We’re doing our curbside appointments with virus-mitigation procedures in place to keep everyone safe, and it’s a process that’s worked well since we began using it on June 1. If you have a prize to claim directly from us at the lottery, check out the details on our Curbside Claims page so you’ll know how and where to make an appointment.

We’re loving the photos of our winners as they claim their prizes at their curbside appointments. There’s a slice-of-life feel to the images that shows it is possible for all of us to still have fun even with the challenges from COVID-19.

As a plan-ahead reminder, our offices are closed tomorrow (Friday, July 3) for the Independence Day holiday weekend, so we’ll see you all again on Monday. Have a very happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Player Question: What Determines The Jackpot In InstaPlay Progressive Games?

A man reached out to us on Facebook to ask about the jackpot amounts in our Progressive InstaPlay games, and I’m sharing our answer here on the blog in case you’ve wondered the same thing.

The man specifically asked how the jackpot amount is determined in the “Extreme Green Progressive” InstaPlay game, but the process applies to the jackpots in any of our progressive InstaPlay games. They’re called progressive because their jackpots grow progressively larger with each ticket sold statewide until they’re won.

InstaPlay as a product combines features from both lotto games and scratch games. The games have a playstyle similar to that of our scratch games, but InstaPlay tickets are printed and sold on demand from the lottery terminal like those in lotto games. And in the case of our progressive InstaPlay games, they have a starting jackpot amount, just as lotto games like Powerball and Mega Millions have a starting jackpot amount.

In the case of Extreme Green Progressive, its jackpot starts at $20,000 and grows from there, increasing by $2 with each ticket sold statewide in the game.

An electronic file of plays exists in the game, and winning tickets are randomly distributed throughout that file. The exact amount of the jackpot won depends upon where the jackpot-winning ticket exists in the electronic file, and when the ticket is purchased.

Some jackpots won in the game will be larger, based upon where that particular jackpot-winning ticket falls within the game, and some will be smaller, for the same reason. As a security feature, not even those of us who work at the lottery know where the winning tickets are within our games, so no one can predict when or where the next big winner will hit.

The jackpot won in Extreme Green Progressive is therefore a combination of the starting jackpot amount in the game and the number of tickets purchased up until that particular jackpot is won.

The jackpot is clearly not the only prize available in that game. Players also can win prizes in Extreme Green Progressive ranging from $20 up to $10,000, so much of the money spent on tickets in the game goes to pay prizes. A portion of the money from sales in the game also becomes part of the lottery's annual proceeds to state causes. And part of it goes to pay the lottery's expenses for the game, including the costs of the paper on which the tickets are printed.

Lotto America Jackpot Changes Will Follow Those In Powerball & Mega Millions

Changes will be made next month to the jackpot in Lotto America that are similar to the updates already made in Powerball and Mega Millions.

After the Lotto America drawing on June 13, the starting jackpot amount in the game and the rate that the jackpot increases between drawings will be based upon sales and interest rates, with no fixed minimums.

The adjustments are needed to ensure that the game’s ticket sales can support its jackpots and other prizes. The current COVID-19 public health emergency has drastically impacted life for us all and altered normal consumer behavior for all types of products, including ticket purchases in lottery games like Lotto America. Interest rates also have declined during the health crisis, and that in turn drives down the annuity amount of the game’s jackpots.

We know that folks have many more important issues on their minds these days than purchasing lotto tickets, and in many locations around the country, they're not in a position to buy them at all. That in turn means changes have to be made on different fronts, including in the Lotto America game.

Changes Coming To Powerball’s Starting Jackpot & Minimum Increases

Changes have been announced today that will impact the Powerball® jackpot after the next time it is won.

What’s behind the decision? The amount of the Powerball jackpot is driven by ticket sales, which have been lagging in the game. Normal consumer behavior has been largely disrupted nationwide by the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. And the Powerball Product Group, like scores of other organizations around the world, is making necessary adjustments.

The changes announced in Powerball will take effect immediately after the next jackpot win in the game. The changes do not impact the jackpot amount for tonight’s drawing, or the jackpot’s growth up until the next time it is won. (The jackpot for tonight’s Powerball drawing is an estimated $150 million annuity, $114.8 million lump-sum option.)

The next time that the Powerball jackpot is won, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million annuity, rather than the game’s usual starting jackpot amount of $40 million. And, rather than growing by at least $10 million in between drawings as currently occurs in the game, the jackpot will grow by at least $2 million between drawings.

It remains to be seen whether this change will be permanent. That decision rests with the directors of the U.S. lotteries that are members of the Powerball Product Group, who will continue to evaluate and monitor sales in the game.

The Powerball Jackpot Hasn’t Been At This Level In 10 Months

The Powerball jackpot is back up at a level it hasn’t seen in 10 months.

That’s not a typo. The game’s jackpot hasn’t climbed this high since last March. The jackpot for tonight’s drawing is at an estimated $394 million annuity, $274.6 million lump-sum option.

It hasn’t been at this level since last year, when it kept climbing all the way up to $768.4 million annuity in the drawing on March 27, 2019. It was won that night with a ticket in Wisconsin.
     
What’s the story behind our recent “jackpot drought”? There have been a lot of winners in Powerball and Mega Millions, but as luck would have it, the jackpots in both games have been won in the past handful of months at what some would call a “lower level.” Now, all those prizes were still in the tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars. But if it seems like things have been kind of quiet lately on the jackpot front, that’s because they have.

Mega Millions got some steam going last month when it reached $372 million annuity in the drawing on Dec. 17. It was won that night with a ticket in Ohio.

The Powerball jackpot was last won in the drawing on Nov. 2 by a ticket in California.  The next time it’s hit, it will be the first Powerball jackpot won in 2020.

There will always be peaks and valleys in lottery jackpots, so we’ll all just have to wait and see how high the jackpots climb this time around. Maybe we just got used to all the big jackpots we saw in the past couple years!

Police: Don’t Fall For The Call/Email/Text That You’ve Won A Lottery Jackpot

This central Iowa news coverage is such an important reminder about scams, particularly the fact that they’re on the rise this time of year. As the Nevada police officer says in this interview with WOI-TV, if something seems too good to be true, it is.

Here at the Iowa Lottery, we keep Player Security reminders -- including warnings about lottery scams -- as a permanent feature on the lottery’s website. If you ever have a question about whether something you’re contacted about is legitimate, please check out our reminders, or better yet, contact us in person. We’ll be glad to talk with you and answer any questions you may have.  

Bottom line, remember that if you win a lottery jackpot, we don’t call to let you know that. The process works the opposite way: You as the player with the winning ticket contact us at the lottery to claim the prize.

We have the records showing that a winning ticket has been sold at a particular retail location and the prize amount involved, but we don’t know who the winner is until you present the winning ticket to us at Iowa Lottery headquarters.

One Year Ago: Iowa’s Largest Powerball Jackpot Winner

Here at the lottery, we’re always looking ahead in our quest to deliver fun and exciting games for you, while responsibly raising revenue for the state of Iowa.

But every once in a while it’s fun to look back at where we’ve been, and a year ago at this time, we were having a lot of fun! This Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of Iowa’s biggest Powerball winner.

Lerynne West of Redfield won a $343.9 million jackpot prize in the Oct. 27, 2018, Powerball drawing, splitting the prize with a ticket purchased in New York. Lerynne, who became Iowa’s ninth Powerball jackpot winner, purchased her winning ticket at Casey’s, 425 Second St. in Redfield, a Dallas County community of about 830.

Nine days later, we had a lot of fun celebrating with her and her family when she came in to claim her prize. We were also touched by her desire to use her winnings to make a difference for others.

As we’ve mentioned before, we love hearing from you. So, tell us: Are you aiming for a Mega Millions, Powerball or Lotto America jackpot this weekend? And what would you do if you won?

 

Settlement Website, Phone Number Announced For Claims In Jackpot Lawsuit

A website and toll-free telephone number are now live for U.S. lottery players to contact if they think they can make a claim in a settlement stemming from a class-action lawsuit.

The settlement will allow refunds for the cost of tickets purchased in a small set of lottery drawings held from November 2005 to May 2013 in certain games, including the Hot Lotto game.

The only way that players can make a claim as part of the settlement is by going to the website at www.LotteryGameSettlement.com or calling 1-877-872-3816.

The claims process will run for 120 days, through Jan. 7, 2020. Players who don’t submit their claim forms by the deadline will be excluded and won’t be part of the settlement.

The claim form that players will need to file is available on the settlement website and can be completed online or downloaded. Players who download the form will need to fill it out and follow instructions to send it to a company that will review the claims. 

The $4.3 million settlement in the case of Culler et al vs. the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) will provide refunds to those with nonwinning lottery tickets linked to the lottery fraud case that centered on Eddie Tipton, an Iowa man who worked for years in information-security at MUSL.

The Iowa Lottery was not a party to the lawsuit, but the events of this week give us another chance to look back and take pride in the work we did along with that of other Iowa officials who led the investigation. That effort ultimately led to this point where there can be a settlement for affected players.

Please note that the Iowa Lottery is not involved in the settlement process and can’t help review, process or validate any player claims. Players who want to make a claim need to visit the settlement website or call the toll-free telephone number.

Once the claims process is completed, the court will review the settlement agreement again and make a final determination about the process that will follow.

The long-running lottery jackpot investigation case culminated in 2017 with guilty pleas from three men who admitted they illegally claimed prizes by rigging lottery drawings in five states. Eddie Tipton, the man at the center of the investigation, worked at MUSL, an organization within the lottery industry, and installed malicious computer code that allowed him to predict winning numbers in some lottery drawings.

Tipton ultimately pleaded guilty to three felony charges in Iowa and Wisconsin and was sentenced in August 2017 to up to 25 years in prison. He admitted that he conspired with friends and family to claim lottery prizes in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. He also tried to claim a jackpot in Iowa, but it was not paid after the Iowa Lottery’s security questions went unanswered. 

Tipton’s younger brother, Tommy Tipton, also pleaded guilty in the case, as did Tipton’s long-time friend, Robert Rhodes.

Burlington resident Dale Culler filed a lawsuit naming MUSL in connection with the rigged games. A Polk County District Court judge granted Culler's request to seek damages on behalf of other lottery players in a class-action suit.

34 Years In The Making: Iowa Lottery Sets Records

The Iowa Lottery has just posted the best annual results in its 34-year history.

Lottery sales, proceeds to state causes, prizes to players, and retail commissions all set records in fiscal year 2019, which ended June 30. We think the results deliver on our promise to responsibly raise revenues for the state causes that are important to us all.

Click on the video above to see our thank-you message to our players, our retailers, and really, anyone who has an interest in the Iowa Lottery.

Our preliminary figures out today show that the Iowa Lottery generated a record $92.8 million in proceeds to state causes in FY 2019. Annual lottery sales were a record $390.9 million, while prizes to players totaled a record $241.9 million. Lottery sales commissions to the local businesses across Iowa that sell our tickets totaled $25.4 million, also a record.

Scratch games have always been the lottery's leading product category and led the way again in FY 2019, with those games accounting for a record $250.6 million in sales in Iowa. 

The lottery retailer with the most sales in Iowa was again the Hy-Vee store at 20 Wilson Ave. in Cedar Rapids. That location has been the No. 1 lottery retailer in Iowa for five straight years, and it sold nearly $950,000 in lottery tickets in FY 2019.

The largest prize won by an Iowa Lottery player in FY 2019 was a $343.9 million Powerball jackpot, and six other prizes of at least $1 million also were won in the state during the year. 

Player Mail: What Happened With The Lotto America Jackpot?

In the past month, several players have asked us about the Lotto America® jackpot – and specifically, how it could grow so long without being won. Well, all that has changed! And it goes to show something you’ve heard us say many times: You just never know when the next big winner will hit!

Wednesday’s $21.6 million Lotto America jackpot was won in that night’s drawing by someone who bought a ticket in Minnesota. The Minnesota Lottery says the lucky ticket was purchased at a convenience store in Ramsey, Minn., a suburb of the Twin Cities. The game’s jackpot had been growing since May 2018, when it was won in Iowa. Chuck Anderson of Davenport claimed that $4.38 million jackpot.

Lotto America debuted in November 2017, and its jackpot has been won three times so far. A brother and sister from Badger, Minn., split the first jackpot won in the game, a $22.8 million prize in March 2018.

So, why the long gap between jackpot wins this time around? Lotto America is played in 13 states, as opposed to Powerball®, which is sold by 47 lotteries, and Mega Millions®, which is sold by 46 lotteries. It’s designed to have a smaller jackpot than those larger games, which means that overall, fewer people are playing it.

There was a long run between Lotto America jackpot wins this time, but as the game’s 2018 winners show, that won’t always be the case! The game's jackpot has returned to its starting amount of $2 million annuity, $1.32 million lump-sum option, for tomorrow night’s drawing. 

July 15 update: The Minnesota Lottery has now released the details about the Minnesota man who claimed the Lotto America jackpot from last Wednesday's drawing. Jeffery Love and his wife, Vickie, of Elk River, Minn., both called into work Friday and said they'd need the day off because they had a huge prize to claim! Click here to see to their story.

A Little Piggy With Lottery Luck!

This story speaks to all things Iowa, and it’s too good not to share! The main characters are a kind-hearted Iowa Lottery employee and a tiny little piglet now named Tot.

Last week, my co-worker Andrea McNamara was driving home after work at lottery headquarters in Clive when rush-hour traffic on the interstate came to a stop. She saw cars in front of her swerving into other lanes like they were trying to avoid hitting something. A few moments later, Andrea could see a tiny piglet in the road.

Andrea said the piglet was just frozen in place and with traffic at a standstill, she thought she could safely reach the frightened animal. Andrea said she got out of her car, scooped up the piglet, and took her to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, an animal shelter in Des Moines.

Staff at the ARL examined the piglet and said that although she had a little road rash, she was otherwise in good shape.

The ARL has a special barnyard section for rescued farm animals, and the piglet was welcomed there where she’ll receive care before being made available for adoption. The ARL has a foster dog named Tater, so volunteers there named the piglet Tot.

In my lottery opinion, this little piggy hit the jackpot!

All Those Awesome ‘Bucket List’ Answers

We’ve had a question posted on social media for the past couple days, asking folks what they’d cross off their bucket list if they won tonight’s Powerball jackpot (estimated $750 million annuity, $465.5 million lump-sum option). The answers have been off-the-charts awesome!

A woman named Angie just replied with a GIF of an airplane flying all around the world. A woman named Mindy said she would go to see every volcano in the world. A guy named Chris said he’d immediately donate at least $250K to his favorite charity. A woman named Jaci said she’d take a “long, long, long sandy vacation.”

The answers just kept getting better:

Linda said she’d buy her town a new water tower with the community’s name on it and use her winnings to save the bees. Brandon said he’d use his winnings to buy land so he could make his own neighborhood for his family. Brian said he’d just enjoy being worry free about finances.

Heidi said she’d help stray animals. Jamilynn said she’d buy a huge building and turn it into a homeless shelter while also paying for college for her own children and nieces and nephews. Rick said he’d do whatever he wanted. Christian is looking forward to a flying Ironman suit and a personal space shuttle. 

As always, Iowans’ generosity came through in their answers, with person after person saying they’d help family and friends, charity, their church and their community.

One of the most creative answers I saw was from a man named Scott, who applied a little psychology to the situation: If he wins the Powerball jackpot tonight, he says he’ll be able to cross winning the lottery off his bucket list. Well played, Scott. Well played!

Quad-Cities Man Claims $1 Million Prize He Won In Central Iowa

A Quad-Cities man has a very specific purchase in mind now that he’s claimed a $1 million Mega Millions prize: He plans to search the Internet for a 1972 Ford Mustang fastback.

Danny Lovett said it’s a car he’s always wanted since he was a kid – and now he can have one.

Lovett, 60, of East Moline, Ill., claimed his $1 million prize on Monday at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. He’d won big in the Mega Millions drawing on Jan. 15, but said he didn’t check his ticket until a few days later. Then with the frigid winter temperatures that Iowa and the rest of the Midwest have faced over the past couple weeks, Lovett said he waited until the weather improved a bit before heading to the lottery to claim his prize.

He recalled looking at his ticket and realizing he’d matched the first five numbers in the Mega Millions drawing. He said he counted and he counted again and thought, “There’s no way!” But once he got his prize check at the lottery, he said things were becoming more real.  
 
Lovett said he plans to use his winnings to buy a house, put a big chunk away for retirement, help his family – and buy that car.

Lovett drives a truck route from Davenport to Des Moines. He said that the Kum & Go store at 1200 N. Walnut St. in Colfax is a regular stop for him during his drive, and while he’s buying coffee and a snack, he usually buys a lottery ticket, too.

Lovett’s ticket was one of two in the country to win a $1 million prize in the Jan. 15 Mega Millions drawing. The other was purchased in California. Lovett came within one number of having at least a share of that night’s $55 million jackpot, matching the first five numbers but missing the Mega Ball. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot that night, so the big prize continued to climb.

The Jan. 15 winning numbers were: 29-52-58-60-62 and Mega Ball 7. The Megaplier® number was 2.

Kum & Go received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Lovett’s ticket was the second purchased at the Colfax store to win a $1 million prize in about a year. George Dickerson of Colfax claimed a $1 million Powerball® prize in January 2018 with a ticket he bought at that same Kum & Go store. He said at the time that freezing weather almost made him stay home, but he decided to brave the cold and went out to buy tickets just a few minutes before the sales cut-off time for the Powerball drawing on Dec. 30, 2017. And it turned out to be a very lucky New Year’s weekend for him!  

Big Jackpot On The Line For Christmas!

Dec. 26 update: As we now know, Mega Millions has gone five for five with no jackpot winners in its drawings that have been held on Christmas Day. Nobody won the jackpot in last night’s drawing, so the Mega Millions top prize has climbed to an estimated $348 million annuity, $210.2 million cash option for Friday’s drawing. The next time there will be a Mega Millions drawing on Christmas will be in 2020, when Dec. 25 is on a Friday. But in 2019, Dec. 25 will be on a Wednesday, so next year there will be a Powerball drawing for Christmas! 

Jackpot drawings in our lotto games are held come rain or come shine – or as is the case tomorrow, come the Christmas holiday. And a BIG jackpot will be on the line this Christmas: the Mega Millions® jackpot has reached an estimated $321 million annuity, $193.7 million lump-sum option, for tomorrow night’s drawing.

This is just the fourth time that a Mega Millions drawing has been held on Christmas since the game’s start in 2002. (The last time was in 2015.) But so far, no one has actually won a Mega Millions jackpot on Christmas.

The game’s jackpot has been growing since it was last won in the drawing on Oct. 23. You may remember that big prize: that night’s jackpot of $1.54 billion was won with a single ticket purchased in South Carolina. The winner has not yet claimed the prize.

So, has Iowa ever seen a jackpot winner on Christmas? Our state’s very first Powerball® jackpot winner came close: Ed Brown of Washington split a $10.4 million jackpot with a Missouri woman in the Powerball drawing on Dec. 23, 1992.

And ten years later, a western Iowa man won a Hot Lotto jackpot in that game’s drawing on Christmas Day 2002. Don Sporrer of Denison waited a few weeks  before claiming his $2.7 million prize in January 2003. He said he knew the whole time that he had the winning ticket  and he had fun listening to local speculation about the identity of the winner!

Iowa Powerball Winner Will Be On "Ellen Show" Today

Our newest Powerball jackpot winner will be on "Ellen" today!

The Ellen DeGeneres Show has posted its first look at Lerynne West on the show today, so click here to see the details.

On the show, Lerynne announces that The Callum Foundation, the charitable organization she established in memory of her late grandson, will donate $500,000 to the Travis Mills Foundation in honor of her father, a veteran.