ialottery blog

SE Iowa Man Claims Lottery Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

A southeast Iowa man admits it took him a few days to realize he’d won a lottery prize of $25,000 a year for life, and he had the winning ticket in his pocket the entire time.

Craig Walker of Bloomfield claimed his big prize in the Lucky for Life game yesterday at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. He said that a few days after the drawing when he won, he noticed an announcement on the lottery’s website that someone in southeast Iowa was the winner. So he started checking his tickets and realized it was him!

Craig said word spread quickly about his news and people in his area are happy that someone local won.

Craig’s Lucky for Life ticket that matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in the Nov. 16 drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. He said he bought his easy-pick ticket the day before the drawing when he stopped for a sandwich at a local convenience store.

The winning numbers in that night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 3-8-16-38-44 and Lucky Ball 15. J’s One Stop in Bloomfield will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket.

There is a lump-sum option at the game’s top two prize levels for players who prefer that approach rather than lifetime annuity payments. Craig chose to receive his prize in its lump-sum amount of $390,000. He says it’s definitely going to help him with retirement!

Ticket Purchased In SE Iowa Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a southeast Iowa convenience store has won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game.

A Bloomfield ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win Lucky for Life’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at J’s One Stop, 202 Weaver Road in Bloomfield.

This is Iowa’s 10th big winner in the game since it debuted in January 2016 in our state. Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 3-8-16-38-44 and Lucky Ball 15. J’s One Stop will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket.

This prize must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. During the current COVID-19 emergency, prize claims are being handled by appointment at the lottery, so the winner or winners of the Bloomfield prize can call 515-725-7900 to schedule a claim. Full details are available on the lottery’s website here.

There is plenty of time for this prize to be claimed: Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

SW Iowa Man Talks About Winning A Big Prize During A Pandemic

Here is Delbert Littleton of Atlantic in his own words as he talks about winning a big lottery prize during a pandemic. Congratulations on your big win, Delbert, and thank you for lifting our spirits with your positive outlook!

Atlantic Man Danced With His Wife In the Kitchen After Realizing He’d Won Big

A southwest Iowa man said he and his wife danced in their kitchen at 4:30 a.m. after realizing he’d won a lottery prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Delbert Littleton of Atlantic said they both were shaking and hugging after realizing the big news. His ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in the Lucky for Life drawing on June 15 to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Delbert, who’s 62 and works at an assisted-living facility, said he realized early the next morning that he’d won a big prize. And even though his wife Jodi was still asleep, he knew he had to share the news. So he carefully told her that she needed to get up and look at something. After they danced and hugged, he said she told him right away that they needed to put the ticket in their safety deposit box so nothing would happen to it.

They kept the ticket safe and Delbert was able to claim his prize today at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

He bought his winning ticket at Casey’s, 701 Poplar St. in Atlantic, and Casey’s will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

Delbert is Iowa’s ninth big winner in Lucky for Life since the game debuted in January 2016 in our state. He said that he and his wife already know how they’ll use the winnings: They plan to buy a new house, both buy new cars, and put the rest away for retirement.

Because he works in environmental services, Delbert takes precautions against COVID-19 every day. He said that winning a big prize during the worldwide pandemic lightens the load a little bit and gives him more hope that we’ll all eventually get through this.

Delbert chose to receive his prize in its lump-sum option of $390,000. He said that no one can predict the future, so he and Jodi decided to take the lump sum and enjoy making plans with the winnings right away.

Ticket Purchased In SW Iowa Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a southwest Iowa convenience store has won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game.

An Atlantic ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win Lucky for Life’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 701 Poplar St. in Atlantic.

It is Iowa’s ninth big winner in the game since it debuted in January 2016 in our state.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 25-28-32-47-48 and Lucky Ball 14. Casey’s will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its locations.

This prize must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. During the current public health emergency, public access to lottery offices is restricted to email and telephone. Players can call 515-725-7900 and schedule a curbside claim, mail or ship their winning tickets to the lottery to claim prizes or utilize the secure dropbox option at the Clive location. Full details are available on the lottery’s website here.

If the winner or winners of the Atlantic ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to call us at the lottery at 515-725-7900.

There is plenty of time for this prize to be claimed: Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

Calhoun County Man Claims Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

A northwest Iowa man has claimed a prize of $25,000 a year for life that he won in a drawing late last month.

David Holder of Pomeroy is Iowa’s eighth big winner in the Lucky for Life game since its 2016 debut in the state. He bought his winning ticket at Country Stores of Rockwell City at 730 High St. in Rockwell City. His ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in the drawing on April 27 to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Holder’s prize claim was received in the Iowa Lottery's secure dropbox and processed Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Clive. He chose to receive his prize in its lump-sum option of $390,000.

The winning numbers in the April 27 Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-5-9-28-35 and Lucky Ball 9. Country Stores of Rockwell City will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its locations.

Ticket Purchased In NW Iowa Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a northwest Iowa convenience store has won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game.

The Rockwell City ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win Lucky for Life’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at Kimmes Rockwell City Country Store, 30 High St. in Rockwell City.

It is Iowa’s eighth big winner in the game since it debuted in January 2016 in our state.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-5-9-28-35 and Lucky Ball 9. Kimmes Country Stores will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its locations.

This prize must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. During the current public health emergency, public access to lottery offices is restricted to email and telephone, so players can mail or ship their tickets to the lottery to claim prizes and there also is a secure dropbox option at the Clive location. Full details are available on the lottery’s website here.

If the winner or winners of the Rockwell City ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to call us at the lottery at 515-725-7900.

There's plenty of time for this prize to be claimed: Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

Iowa City Man Claims Prize of $25,000 A Year For Life

An Iowa City man has claimed a prize of $25,000 a year for life he won earlier this week with a lottery ticket he bought at a local convenience store.

Joseph White, 75, is Iowa’s sixth big winner in the Lucky for Life game since its 2016 debut here. He bought an easy pick ticket at the Kum & Go at 1310 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City that matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in Monday night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for those who prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments. White chose to receive his prize as the lump-sum option.

The winning numbers in Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-16-27-39-45 and Lucky Ball 10. Kum & Go will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling White’s ticket at one of its stores.

Lucky for Life Prize:  $25,000 a year for life
Chosen to receive as: $390,000 lump-sum option
Federal withholding:  $93,600
State withholding:  $19,500
Net amount:   $276,900

Iowa City Ticket Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket in Iowa City has an extra reason to celebrate this holiday season: Their ticket won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game!

It’s Iowa’s sixth big winner in the game since it debuted here in January 2016.

The Iowa City ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win Lucky for Life’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at the Kum & Go at 1310 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who would prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-16-27-39-45 and Lucky Ball 10. Kum & Go will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

Players in Lucky for Life choose five numbers from a pool of 48 for the white balls and 1 out of 18 numbers for the Lucky Ball. You can win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $5,000.

Prizes at the top two levels in Lucky for Life need to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If you think you’re the Iowa City winner and you have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, please give us a shout at the lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at Wmaster@ialottery.com.

Conversation Starter: What Do Those Frequency Charts Mean?

Something we keep on our website for fun has sparked a lot of conversations over time, and while some folks swear they can use it to make predictions, it really and truly is just for fun. There’s no future-telling involved.

 

On our website, we have frequency charts that show the number of times a particular number has been selected in the drawings for our lotto games.

 

Do you like the number 8? It’s been selected 211 times as a white ball and 67 times as the Powerball since 1997. Are you partial to the number 39? It’s come up 84 times as a white ball and 11 times as the Mega Ball since 2010.

 

What’s all that indicate? Nothing, really. It’s just fun to track the drawing results. Lottery games and their drawings are based solely on random outcomes. There truly is no way to predict which numbers will be selected next in our games.

 

There’s only one “formula” that works when it comes to your chance of winning a lottery prize: You have to buy a ticket to have a chance to win!

 

So why is there such a variation in the number of times that certain numbers have been selected in lottery drawings? Part of it is just random statistics -- you really can’t predict which numbers will be drawn next. But a big part also is how long some of the numbers have been a part of the games.

 

Powerball and Mega Millions have both been redesigned several times through the years, with the numbers available to be played in them changing as the games have been updated.  Changes like that have a big impact on the number of times some numbers have been selected – or were even eligible to be selected in the drawings.

 

So, if you like the frequency charts in our lotto games, go right ahead and have fun with them. Click here for the frequency chart in Powerball, here for the chart in Mega Millions, here for the Lotto America chart, and here for the Lucky for Life chart.

 

You never know when your favorite number might move up on the list!

Two Friends Keep Their Handshake Agreement & Split Big Lottery Prize

I just love this story: Two long-time friends from northeast Iowa have made good on a handshake agreement from years ago that they'd split any big lottery prizes they won.

Chris Smith of Cascade and Mark Bussan of Dubuque have split a Lucky for Life lotto prize of $25,000 a year for life.

The friends said they kept their big win quiet before they claimed their prize, wanting to make sure it actually was true before they started spreading the word.

They're co-workers at Webber Metal Products in Cascade said both they’ll use their winnings to pay bills and plan for retirement. And if they have anything to say about it, this isn’t their last big lottery win. Their motto is: “We’ll keep splitting if we keep hitting.”

Their ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in Monday night’s Lucky for Life drawing to win a prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Chris said he was the one who checked the winning numbers after the drawing, and he knew he had to call Mark right away to share the news even though it was the middle of the night. Mark said it’s usually not good news when he gets a call like that, but this time there was a great outcome!

The two friends chose the lump-sum option for their prize, receiving $390,000 before taxes.

NE Iowa Ticket Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a gas station in northeast Iowa has won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game.

The Cascade ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The lucky ticket was purchased at the McDermott Oil Co., 1501 First Ave. E. in Cascade.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who would prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-8-15-29-31 and Lucky Ball 2. McDermott Oil will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket.

Players in Lucky for Life choose five numbers from a pool of 48 for the white balls and 1 out of 18 numbers for the Lucky Ball. Players can win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $5,000.

The top two prize levels in Lucky for Life must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If the winner or winners of the Cascade ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to contact us here at the lottery at 515-725-7900 or Wmaster@ialottery.com.

Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

Davenport Couple Claims Prize of $25,000 A Year For Life

 A Davenport woman was quickly able to put her improved eyesight to work after having Lasik vision-correction surgery last week: She double-checked the lottery ticket that her husband bought and confirmed that they had indeed won a prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Ray Eckstein of Davenport said he used his laptop computer to look up the winning numbers from Thursday’s Lucky for Life® drawing and thought their ticket had matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball. He said he spun the computer around and had his wife, Delena, double-check it “because she’s got good eyes now!”

Delena confirmed that he was right – and then they had to wait through the long Labor Day holiday weekend before claiming their prize today at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

The couple said they were thinking about their lottery win all weekend and kept checking their ticket to make sure it was still good! 

Ray, 58, who retired earlier this year after working in maintenance in the Quad-Cities area, and Delena, who works as a human-resources consultant, said they plan to put the bulk of their winnings into retirement savings. Ray said the additional infusion into their retirement accounts “puts your mind at ease because you’ve got a nest egg sitting back there.”

They also said they need a new lawnmower and home furnace. The couple splurged in the fall of 2017 and bought a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, so Ray admitted he might get some additional accessories for it. Delena hedged that she’d like a new cupholder for the bike.

The Ecksteins won Iowa’s fifth big prize in Lucky for Life since the lotto game debuted here in January 2016.

Their ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in Thursday night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. Ray Eckstein bought their ticket at the Kwik Shop convenience store, 3624 W. Locust St. in Davenport. The winning numbers in Thursday’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 16-20-32-40-46 and Lucky Ball 10. Kwik Shop will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the Ecksteins their winning ticket at one of its stores.

Lucky for Life prize:          $25,000 a year for life
Chosen to receive as:      $390,000 lump-sum option
Federal withholding:        $93,600
State withholding:            $19,500
Net amount:                    $276,900

Davenport Ticket Wins Prize of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a Quad-Cities convenience store has won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game.

It’s Iowa’s fifth big winner in the game since it debuted here in January 2016.

The Davenport ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The lucky ticket was purchased at the Kwik Shop, 3624 W. Locust St. in Davenport.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who would prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 16-20-32-40-46 and Lucky Ball 10. Kwik Shop will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

The top two prize levels in Lucky for Life have to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If the winner or winners of the Davenport ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to give us a call at 515-725-7900. Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

How Much Withholding Applies & When For Iowa Lottery Prizes?

When we posted about a recent $5,000 prize won in eastern Iowa in the Lucky for Life game, one of our Facebook followers asked how much the winner would actually take home after withholding taxes applied. In the case of that prize, the answer is $4,750.

There is no withholding on Iowa Lottery prizes of $600 or less. A state withholding rate of 5 percent applies to all Iowa Lottery prizes of more than $600 and an additional 24 percent federal withholding rate applies to Iowa Lottery prizes of more than $5,000.

The Lucky for Life prize was just under the threshold for federal withholding, so only the state rate applied.

We’re sometimes asked by lottery winners if we can withhold more or less than the rates I’ve specified here – or if we can take out no withholding at all. We don’t have that option. The law requires that those rates automatically apply, and the withholding is taken out before we give the prize check to the winner.

If you have other questions about how to claim a prize from us here at the lottery, please check out the “Claiming Prizes” page on our website. We have links there to the forms that are required and details about the other documents you’ll need to provide.

There’s No Surprise Like A Lotto Surprise!

Who doesn't love a good surprise? Starting Sunday, April 29, through Saturday, May 26, we’re giving away free plays to random Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life and Lotto America players - there’s a different bonus offer each week!

Week 1 (April 29 - May 5):
Chance for free Lotto America play(s) when you buy Powerball.

Week 2 (May 6 - May 12):
Chance for free Lotto America play(s) when you buy Mega Millions.

Week 3 (May 13 - May 19):
Chance for free Lotto America play(s) when you buy Lucky for Life.

Week 4 (May 20 - May 26):
Chance for free Powerball play(s) when you buy Lotto America.

For details on how to make a qualifying purchase and more information, visit our website at ialottery.com starting Sunday.

Tell Me About The Taxes On The ‘For Life’ Prizes In Lucky for Life

A woman named Kris recently sent us a question on Facebook asking about how the taxes work in the Lucky for Life game for its top two prizes: $1,000 a day for life and $25,000 a year for life.

You likely already know that Lucky for Life is a $2 lotto game with drawings twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who want that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

If you were to win at either of the game’s top two prize levels here in Iowa and you chose to receive your prize in annuity payments for life, you would receive your winnings in annual payments. Federal and state withholding would apply to each payment. (The current federal withholding rate is 24 percent, while the state withholding rate is 5 percent.)

So, for the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life, you would receive an annual payment after withholding of $259,150. And for the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life, you would receive an annual payment of $17,750 per year after withholding.

Four Iowa Lottery players so far have won the game’s prize of $25,000 a year for life. We’re still waiting for our first top-prize winner in Lucky for Life!   

And don’t forget: There are eight other ways to win in Lucky for Life, so be sure to check your ticket after each drawing.

Recent College Grad Claims Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Well, that didn’t take long! He won a big prize in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing, and today, an Ames man stepped forward to claim his winnings of $25,000 a year for life.

Jeff Henry said he realized this morning that he’d won big when he checked his ticket at the local convenience store where he bought it. Henry, 58, who had gone back to college and recently completed two degrees from Iowa State University, said he plans to use his winnings to pay off student loans and make investments.

Jeff is Iowa’s fourth big winner in Lucky for Life since the game debuted here in January 2016. His easy-pick ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. He bought his winning ticket at the Swift Stop, 1118 S. Duff Ave. in Ames, and chose to receive his prize in the lump-sum option of $390,000. 

Ames Ticket Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life In Lucky for Life Game

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at an Ames convenience store won a prize of $25,000 a year for life last night in the Lucky for Life game. It’s Iowa’s fourth big winner in the game since it started here in January 2016.

The Ames ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The lucky ticket was purchased at the Swift Stop, 1118 S. Duff Ave. in Ames.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who would prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 7-10-26-44-46 and Lucky Ball 14. Swift Stop will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

Players in Lucky for Life choose five numbers from a pool of 48 for the white balls and 1 out of 18 numbers for the Lucky Ball. Players can win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $5,000.

The top two prize levels in Lucky for Life must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If the winner or winners of the Ames ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to call us here at the lottery at 515-725-7900. Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

Fortune Cookie Correctly Predicts Iowa City Man's Lottery Future

 

A 92-year-old Iowa City man said a fortune cookie predicted his big Lucky for Life^® win.

Charles “Chuck” Svatos won a lottery prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Sept. 25 Lucky for Life drawing by matching five of the six numbers correctly.

Due to his age, he opted for the lump sum prize of $390,000 instead of the annuity.

Click on the video above to see Chuck tell his story.

Reminders About How To Redeem Winning Tickets

We got nearly identical questions from Facebook and by email from two different players asking where winning pull-tab tickets can be cashed here in Iowa. Here’s the answer in case you have wondered the same thing:

Prizes in our pull-tab games need to claimed at the retail location where you purchased your ticket, or, for pull-tab prizes of more than $600, at a lottery office. This is due to the individual accounting procedures for those games.

If you don’t remember where you bought your winning pull-tab ticket or you received the ticket as a gift, you can send us an email or call us and we can tell you where the ticket was purchased. We’ll need to know the name of the pull-tab game on your ticket as well as the ticket’s serial number, which is found on the front, right above the bar code.

All tickets in any of the Iowa Lottery’s other games can be redeemed at any lottery retailer across the state, except for prizes of more than $600. Those prizes must be claimed at a lottery office for tax-reporting purposes.

And remember the deadlines for claiming prizes. Scratch and pull-tab tickets are valid for 90 days after the announced end of the game. Tickets in Powerball^®, Mega Millions^®, Hot Lotto^®, Lucky for Life^® and All or Nothing™ are valid for 365 days from the date of the drawing. Tickets in Pick 3, Pick 4 and InstaPlay are valid 90 days from the date of the drawing.

You can find more information about claiming lottery prizes on our website, here.

FREE Tickets To Be Randomly Given Away With Some Lotto Purchases

If you buy a Powerball^®, Mega Millions^® or Lucky for Life^® ticket this month, you could randomly win a FREE ticket in one of our InstaPlay games.

Starting Sunday, thousands of players will randomly receive free InstaPlay tickets with a qualifying lotto game purchase in our “Fast and Fun” promotion.

During this promotion we’ll be randomly surprising players with a FREE InstaPlay ticket when purchasing a different lotto game each week. First up will be first Powerball (Sunday – Jan. 14), then Mega Millions (Jan. 15-21), and finally Lucky for Life (Jan. 22-28).

Just buy the lotto game that qualifies for a chance to win a free InstaPlay ticket that week and listen for a special “Surprise, Player Bonus” sounder. If you hear that sound, the terminal will automatically print your free $1, $2 or $5 InstaPlay ticket. We’ll randomly give out free tickets across the state, so it could happen at any time!

Human Reporting Error Delays IA Results In Lucky For Life Drawing

A human reporting error caused the winning numbers for last night’s Lucky for Life drawing to initially be reported incorrectly here in Iowa and then delayed the drawing results in the state entirely for several hours.

We were able to correctly enter the official drawing results this evening and have resumed paying prizes from that drawing.     

The Lucky for Life drawing was conducted correctly as scheduled last night and official results were produced. But our redundant reporting procedures here in Iowa failed after the drawing. It takes time to correct an error like that on our statewide gaming system. We worked through those complexities as quickly as possible. We know that as long as human beings are involved in any process, mistakes can happen. But we sincerely apologize for today’s interruption.

We are reviewing our procedures with an eye toward improvements and enhancements as we move ahead. And, we want to hear from any Iowa Lottery players who have questions or concerns about this situation. We’ll be glad to help.

The mistake impacted only the Iowa Lottery’s reporting of the official results for last night’s Lucky for Life drawing. All other lottery tickets could be purchased, checked and cashed as usual at lottery terminals across the state and the results for all other lottery drawings were recorded correctly here in Iowa.

The CORRECT winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 10-15-21-23-34 and Lucky Ball 1. That is the winning combination for which we'll pay prizes.         

As part of our procedures, two different people in two different locations both enter the results from lotto drawings before they are officially recorded on the lottery’s statewide gaming system that connects the lottery terminals in retail locations all across the state. But when the winning numbers from last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were being inputted, one of the numbers was mistakenly entered as “24” rather than “34.” 

The incorrect results were available about 10 p.m. yesterday. Lottery staffers noticed the error shortly after 7 a.m. today, corrected the drawing results on the lottery’s website and disabled the results for the drawing on lottery terminals, knowing that correcting the lottery’s statewide gaming system would take longer. We continued to work through the situation today and were able to go live with corrected official results about 6 p.m. tonight.

Our records show that a total of 3,318 Lucky for Life plays here in Iowa won prizes ranging from $3 up to $200, for a total of $17,672 in winnings in last night’s drawing. Under the incorrect results initially reported, 96 plays would have won differing amounts for a total difference of $223 in prizes.

We know that the number of folks potentially impacted by the situation is small, but we also want to hear from anyone who may have a question or concern. Any player with a Lucky for Life ticket from last night’s drawing can now check and cash the tickets with the official numbers drawn.

Iowa Results Delayed For Thursday's Lucky For Life Drawing

The results of Thursday's Lucky for Life drawing are delayed on the Iowa Lottery's system statewide. The delay impacts only that lotto game and drawing for tickets purchased in Iowa; all other lottery tickets can be purchased, checked and cashed as usual at lottery terminals across the state.

We are working to address the issue and we anticipate being able to reach a resolution later today. If you have tickets from Thursday's drawing you should keep them so you can check them once the Iowa results have been finalized.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused," Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said. "We are working to finalize our Iowa drawing results as quickly as we can."

Player Mail: What’s Up With Those ‘Lottery Trucks’?

A woman who follows us on Facebook made us smile this week when she asked about the “lottery trucks” she’d just seen in her area. Her name is Lynn and here was her question: “Is there a special reason for the state of Iowa/Powerball & Mega Millions semi in Dubuque today?”

Great question, Lynn, and thanks for being an observant player! We worked with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division to design signs for those trucks. The trucks deliver liquor to retail outlets across Iowa where it is sold. Because the trucks are out and about all over Iowa, ABD asked us if we would like to add lottery advertising to the trailers to highlight our products and how lottery proceeds help the state.

We have three different designs on ABD trucks: one that advertises Powerball and Mega Millions; another that focuses on the Lucky for Life game; and a third that highlights the proceeds that the lottery raises each year to help our state’s veterans and their families through the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

Now you’ll be in the know if you see one of the trucks in your community!

Player Mail: How Many States Play ‘Game X’?

We got a question last week from a player who wondered which states are in the lotto games we have here in Iowa. Here’s a quick membership breakdown so you’ll have all the lists in one place!

Powerball® is played in Iowa and by 46 other lotteries. Here’s a link to the map showing all of the members in that game. And yes, it’s nearly the entire country.

Mega Millions® is nearly as big, being offered by a total of 46 lotteries. (Puerto Rico is a member of Powerball but not Mega Millions, so that’s the difference.) Here is a map showing that game’s membership.        

Lucky for Life® is sold by 21 lotteries while Hot Lotto® is sold by 15 lotteries around the country.

The multi-state version of All or Nothing™ is sold in Iowa and Minnesota.

The Pick 3 and Pick 4 games that we have here in Iowa are offered only in our state. So, those two games truly are “Iowa only.”

We offer a variety of games in all of our product lines – lotto games, scratch games and pull-tab games – so you’ll have a variety to choose from. And if you don’t care for one particular game, hopefully you’ll find a different one that you like. With different price points, game designs and playstyles, we hope to have something for everyone.

Player Mail: Help! I Can’t Get The ‘Power For Life’ Deal!

We’ve gotten emails and heard from some folks on social media who say they’re having difficulty buying tickets at a discount in our “Power for Life” promotion that started last week. Here’s the inside scoop to help out, should you encounter that same situation.
 
We’ve provided information about the promotion to our retailers and our folks in the field who visit our retail locations each week will continue to provide them with updates and reminders. These are the details we’re sharing with them:

Retailers print plays in the promotion by using the Power for Life icon on the game screens for Powerball® and Lucky for Life® on the lottery terminal. The image above shows where to find the Power for Life icon along the right side of the screen.

By asking for the Power for Life bundle, you’ll get a $2 discount on plays in Powerball and Lucky for Life. They’re easy-pick plays for the next two drawings – a Powerball with Power Play ticket and a Lucky for Life ticket. That normally would be a $10 purchase but it costs just $8 during the promotion that runs through the end of this month. (This promotion is available at any retail location in Iowa where lottery tickets are sold.)  

When the Power for Life icon is pressed on the screen, a confirmation window will pop up. The store clerk should choose “yes” to sell the promotional bundle. An audio recording then plays from the lottery terminal. You’ll hear, “Woo-hoo! It’s your lucky day!” and two easy-pick tickets, one in each game for the next two consecutive drawings, will be printed.

Hope this helps!

 

Just How Did This Guy Find Out He Won A Big Prize?

Kevin Reynolds of Bettendorf has quite a story about how he found out he’d won a big prize in the Lucky for Life game. It involves a bit of stress, a little laughter and a dash of disbelief. Click on the video above to hear him give all the details!

Bettendorf Man Is Iowa’s 2nd Big Winner In Lucky for Life

A Quad Cities man says his boss had a little fun when it came to helping him figure out that he’d won a big lottery prize. That’s because management at the store where he works had a good idea he’d won before he even knew it.

Kevin Reynolds of Bettendorf said that store management had him sit down and then asked if he had something to tell them. He said he truly did not know what they were talking about. Then they asked if he’d checked his lottery tickets. He said he had two in his pocket that he hadn’t checked yet. So he scanned them right away and learned he’d won $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life® game. All he could say was: Wow.

Reynolds works in the produce department at the Davenport supermarket where he bought his winning ticket. And after reviewing security-camera footage with the lottery, store management thought Kevin might be the man they could see in the footage purchasing the ticket. And they were right!

Reynolds’ ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. He bought his winning ticket at Hy-Vee, 4064 E. 53rd St. in Davenport. Hy-Vee will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

The winning numbers in Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 13-21-27-35-43 and Lucky Ball 14. Players can win Lucky for Life’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life.

The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who prefer that.

Reynolds, 56, claimed his prize today. He chose to receive his winning in annual payments and got his first check for $25,000 today. He said he’ll use his lottery winnings to plan for retirement.

How Long DO Those Lucky For Life Prizes Really Last?

We’ve been watching some of the comments on social media about Lucky for Life^®, and there seems to be confusion about the length of time involved in the pay-out of the game’s top prizes.

Some of the confusion likely came about after our first big winner in the game chose the lump-sum payout option for his prize, which certainly was his prerogative. Let’s take a closer look at the larger prizes in Lucky for Life and how they work.

There are 10 prize levels in the Lucky for Life game, ranging from $3 up to $1,000 a day for life. The top two prize levels in the game are what get the most attention, because they’re for life, meaning that they last as long as you do.

You win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six winning numbers in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize level of $25,000 a year for life comes from matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball.

So, what does “for life” mean? It really does mean for life, but there are some qualifiers to that answer. The MINIMUM payment period for the game’s top two prize levels is 20 years. So, if you were to win one of those prizes at 55 but die at 70, you (and your estate) would still receive 20 years’ worth of payments. But let’s say you win the game’s top prize when you’re 35, you choose the annuity option and you live to be 85. In that instance, the payments would continue that entire time, for 50 years.

There is a lump-sum option for the top two prizes, should you want cash up front. The lump-sum option for the top prize is $5.75 million while the lump-sum option for the second prize is $390,000.

In March, Roy King of Sioux City won the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. He chose to receive his prize as the lump-sum option, which may have blurred the lines a bit for some folks about the payout periods in the game.

We hope this explanation helps!