WEST LIBERTY WOMAN'S LUCK CHANGES WITH $10,000 WIN

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June Hammel Wins $10,000 Playing "$35 Million Cash Spectacular" Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa – A West Liberty woman's luck turned around when she won $10,000 playing the "$35 Million Cash Spectacular" scratch game.

Forty-seven-year-old June Hammel has been working two jobs since her husband, Ernest, lost his job last year. So winning $10,000 came at the right time for Hammel.

"I was by myself when I scratched it off. I was just getting ready to go to work," Hammel explained. "And when I did [win $10,000] all I kept doing was saying, 'Oh my gosh.' I'd lay it down, pick it up say, 'Oh my gosh.' again. It's unreal!"

Hammel was waiting to share the news with her husband and had the perfect idea of how to let him know.

"I have to work tonight, so he doesn't get off until 5 p.m.," said Hammel, as she shared her plan with lottery staff. "I'm going to lay the [ceremonial] check on the couch. When he gets home he'll see it."

Hammel claimed her prize at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids. She purchased her winning ticket at the Crossroads store where she works, located at 402 W. 15th St. in West Liberty. She also works at Walmart in Iowa City.

Hammel knew exactly how she planned to use her winnings.

"I've been working a full-time and a part-time job, so yes," laughed Hammel, with nervous excitement. She said she plans to use her winnings to cover expenses.

The $35 Million Cash Spectacular is a $10 game. Players who match any of "their numbers" to any "winning number" on their ticket win the prize shown for that play area. If they find a "star" symbol, they win the prize shown instantly. The overall odds of winning in the game are about 1 in 3.

The $35 Million Cash Spectacular began with more than 1.4 million prizes available. Four top prizes of $250,000 are still up for grabs in the game along with 14 prizes of $20,000, 31 prizes of $10,000 and several thousand prizes ranging from $100 to $1,000.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, its players have won more than $2.2 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.1 billion for state programs.