PLAYERS HAVE UNTIL JUNE TO CLAIM PRIZES
IN EIGHT ENDING SCRATCH GAMES

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Lottery is officially ending eight instant-scratch games and players have until June to claim prizes in them.

The lottery has announced the end of the “The Duke,” “Diamond Mine,” “7 Come 11,”“Cool Hand Loot,” “Cash Craze,” “Gimme 5,”“Double Blackjack” (orange) and “It’s a Hit” scratch games. Players have until the close of business on June 9, 2008, to claim prizes in them.

Players may visit the Iowa Lottery at 2323 Grand Ave. in Des Moines or go to one of the lottery's regional offices in Council Bluffs, Storm Lake, Mason City or Cedar Rapids to claim prizes. Winning lotto numbers may be checked through the winning numbers' hot line at (515) 323-4633. Winning lotto numbers may also be checked by calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; at the lottery Web site at www.ialottery.com; or with lottery retail outlets.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, more than $2 billion has been awarded in prizes and more than $1 billion has been raised for state programs.