A POCKET FULL OF QUARTERS WINS $200,000 POWERBALL PRIZE

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John Iverson Wins Big Prize in the March 10 Powerball® Drawing

DES MOINES, Iowa – An Eau Claire, WI truck driver was passing through Dubuque when he decided to pick up a Powerball ticket for the March 10 drawing, and ended up winning a $200,000 prize.

John Iverson, 50, said he always makes sure to pick up Powerball tickets in each of the three states he passes through on his regular driving route; including Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Iverson said he didn't get a chance to check his ticket until Friday afternoon.

"I checked the newspaper because I told my wife nobody won the Powerball because I saw it went up to $200 million," Iverson said. "At about the third number I realized that this isn't real! It's quite unbelievable."

Iverson said his first instinct was to hand the newspaper to his wife, Sally, so she could check the numbers too.

"I just dropped to my knees and went, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe this!' I was screaming it and my wife goes, 'What's the matter?' And I said, 'We just won some big money!' She hung up instantly with my daughter. She said, 'I'll call you back. Something's wrong with your dad,'" Iverson laughed.

After they determined they had the right numbers, Iverson and Sally went online to the Iowa Lottery's Web site to determine their prize amount.

"I said, 'How much is this for?' I'm thinking $100,000; and she said, 'No! $200,000!'" he said.

Iverson has Mondays off from his trucking job delivering Old Dutch potato chips, so he and Sally waited over the weekend and drove to the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Mason City Monday morning to claim the prize.

Iverson has told his two children about his win. He said they couldn't believe it at first, but they sure do love him for it!

"Eight quarters won me $200,000! I still can't believe somebody's going to give me that amount of money for two bucks!" Iverson said.

Iverson said he plans to use some of his winnings to buy a new car as well as give some to his children. He plans to put the rest in savings.

Iverson purchased his winning Powerball ticket at Key West Conoco, 2150 Twin Valley in Dubuque. This isn't the first big Powerball winning ticket Key West Conoco has sold. In October 2009, Stephanie Stanton from Dubuque won a $10,000 Powerball prize from the Oct. 10 drawing.

The winning numbers on March 10 were 17-21-37-41-50 and Powerball 1. The Power Play® multiplier was two. It came close to winning it all, matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball to win a $200,000 prize. Had Iverson added the Power Play to his ticket, he would've multiplied his $200,000 win by an automatic five to win an instant $1 million.

Players can increase their prizes with the Power Play (except the jackpot) up to five times. The cost is $1 per play. The Power Play number, 2 through 5, is chosen at the beginning of the drawing indicating the amount prizes (except the jackpot) will be multiplied if that number is drawn.

For players who choose the Power Play and match five white balls (regularly a $200,000 prize), the multiplier will always be 5, so those players would win an instant $1 million.

Winning numbers may be checked at the lottery Web site at www.ialottery.com or through the winning numbers' hot line at (515) 323-4633. Winning numbers may also be checked with lottery retail outlets or by calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

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.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, its players have won more than $2.4 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.2 billion for state programs.