$30,000 LOTTERY TICKET SOLD IN MASON CITY

Cesar Hindstroza Wins Top Prize Playing the "Jingle Bell Crossword" Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Bricelyn, Minn. man was traveling through Mason City when he stopped to buy a "Jingle Bell Crossword" scratch game and ended up winning the top prize!

Cesar Hindstroza claimed his $30,000 prize Wednesday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Mason City. He bought his winning ticket at Casey's, 1361 12th St. N.W. in Mason City.

Jingle Bell Crossword is a $3 scratch game. Players win a prize 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.

Nineteen prizes of $30,000 are still up for grabs in Jingle Bell Crossword as well as 27 prizes of $3,000, more than 365 prizes of $300 as well as more than 1,700 prizes of $100.

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