Iowa Lottery

Goldfield Woman's Lottery Luck Abounds

Linda Nelson Wins Another Top Prize Playing the "Crossword" Scratch Game

  Hear Linda tell her story.

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DES MOINES, Iowa - It's not the first top prize she's won in a lottery scratch game, but a Goldfield woman says the excitement is the same.

"It was just nice, very nice, to win $30,000," Linda Nelson said.

Over the past six years, Nelson has won the top prize of $30,000 four times in the "Crossword" instant-scratch game.

"I never dreamt I'd win it twice, let alone four times," she said. "People say, 'You won again?' So this time I just told my son and my boss."

Nelson's first $30,000 prize came in 2006. She said she purchased a newer vehicle with her second top-prize win, which came in 2008, and she's planning to update her ride this time as well. She claimed her third $30,000 prize in May.

"Last time I just got a new vacuum cleaner and a new bed," Nelson said as she claimed her latest prize July 27 at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Mason City.

Nelson purchased her latest big winning ticket at Casey's, 319 E. Highway 3 in Goldfield, where she works as a cashier. She said that in her off time, she enjoys playing the Crossword game.

"You can't win if you don't play!" she said with a smile, quoting a long-time lottery catch phrase.

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