WATERLOO MAN WINS $30,000

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Doug Taber Wins Top Prize in Popular Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Black Hawk County man recently claimed a $30,000 lottery prize.

Doug Taber of Waterloo won the top prize playing the “Crossword” (purple newsprint) instant-scratch game. He purchased the winning ticket at Hy-Vee, 306 Byron St. in Waterloo.

Taber claimed the prize at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids.

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.

Fifty-one top prizes of $30,000 are still up for grabs in the game, as well as approximately 75 prizes of $3,000, more than 1,000 prizes of $300 and approximately 5,400 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.