URBANDALE STORE HELPS IN SEARCH FOR
$18,250-WINNING LOTTERY TICKET

DES MOINES, Iowa - Time is running out for a lucky lottery winner to claim four significant Pick 4 prizes that total $18,250 on one ticket. The mystery winner (or winners) has until 4 p.m. Tuesday to validate the ticket.

As of Friday, the $18,250-winning Pick 4 ticket remained unclaimed. The ticket was sold at J.C.’s Corner Store, 8600 Meredith Drive in Urbandale, for the Pick 4 midday drawing on Aug. 8. The player bought three $1 plays on a straight and another $1 play on a box. The winning numbers for the Pick 4 midday drawing on Aug. 8 were: 7-4-3-6. The prizes will expire if the winner doesn’t validate the ticket soon.

Players in the Pick 4 game choose four numbers, from 0 to 9. The numbers chosen may be repeated. In addition, players decide the type of bet they wish to make. Players can wager 50 cents, $1, $2, $3, $4, or $5 on each set of numbers. The possible bets are:

• Straight - Win by matching all numbers in the exact order drawn;
• Box - Win by matching all of the numbers in any order;
• Straight/Box - Win by matching the numbers in the exact order and/or in any order;
• Front Pair - Win by matching the first two numbers in exact order.
• Back Pair - Win by matching the last two numbers in exact order.

“We are doing everything we can to get the word out about these unclaimed prizes,” said Iowa Lottery Spokeswoman Tina Potthoff. “The store where the ticket was sold has a sign notifying players to double-check any tickets they have. We also notify players through our Web site and the media about tickets that are about to expire.”

In addition to the ticket sold in Urbandale, a winning Pick 4 ticket sold in Waterloo will expire in December. That ticket won $9,125 in the Sept. 28 Pick 4 midday drawing. The player bought one $1 play on a straight and one $1 play on a straight/box. The winning numbers for the Pick 4 midday drawing on Sept. 28 were: 9-2-5-7. The ticket was purchased at Holiday Station Store, 1604 La Porte Road in Waterloo. The prize expires Dec. 27.

Players have up to 90 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes in Iowa's $100,000 Cash Game, as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4 games. Players in Iowa have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim Powerball and Hot Lotto prizes. If the expiration date falls on a weekend, the lottery gives the winner until the close of business on the following Monday to turn in the ticket.

In fiscal year 2007, more than $1.78 million in prizes went unclaimed in Iowa lotto games.

Players can 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 a prize.

Winning numbers may be checked by calling the winning numbers' hot line at (515) 323-4633. Winning numbers may also be checked by calling the lottery at (515) 281-7900 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.