DES MOINES MAN WINS $30,000 LOTTERY PRIZE

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Jose Rivas Wins Top Prize Playing the "Jingle Bell Crossword" Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man has claimed the top prize of $30,000 playing the lottery's "Jingle Bell Crossword" instant-scratch game.

Jose Rivas claimed his prize Monday at the Iowa Lottery's headquarters in Des Moines. He purchased his winning ticket at Casey's, 1125 N. Hickory Blvd. in Pleasant Hill.

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.

Five prizes of $30,000 are still up for grabs in Jingle Bell Crossword as well as 12 prizes of $3,000, more than 120 prizes of $300 as well as more than 560 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 more than $1.2 billion for state programs.