DES MOINES MAN WINS $30,000

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Khamla Bounyavathano Wins Top Prize in Popular Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Polk County man recently claimed a substantial lottery prize.

Khamla Bounyavathano of Des Moines won $30,000 playing the “Crossword” (purple newsprint) instant-scratch game. He purchased the winning ticket at Quik Trip, 850 S.W. Army Post Road in Des Moines.

Bounyavathano claimed his prize at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Des Moines.

Crossword (purple newsprint) is a $3 scratch game. Players win by uncovering at least three complete words in the ticket's puzzle. If a player uncovers 10 words, he/she wins $30,000. The overall odds of winning in the game are about 1 in 4.

Sixty-one top prizes of $30,000 are still up for grabs in the game, as well as approximately 95 prizes of $3,000, about 1,350 prizes of $300 and about 6,600 prizes of $100.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, more than $2.1 billion has been awarded in prizes and more than $1.1 billion has been raised for state programs.