Iowa Lottery

Lucas County Woman Surprised By $30,000 Win

Claudia Schindler Wins Top Prize Playing the "Crossword" Scratch Game

  Hear Claudia tell her story.

To download image, right click on image, then navigate to 'Save Picture As' to save this file to your computer. To download digital audio files of this story, right click here, then navigate to "Save Target As" to save this file to your computer.

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Lucas County woman said she was a bundle of nerves as she scratched off the last few letters of her "Crossword" scratch ticket and discovered she'd won the top prize of $30,000.

Claudia Schindler, 51, said she was scratching the ticket in her car when she began to think she'd won a pretty big prize.

"I just kind of knew. I counted the words and knew it was a big one! I even wrote them on a piece of paper and counted them so I knew it was real," Schindler said.

Schindler, who is from Derby, immediately called her husband, Dave, to tell him the news.

"He was surprised, shocked and really happy," she said.

Schindler said she was excited and nervous over the weekend before she claimed her prize Feb. 23 at the Iowa Lottery's headquarters in Des Moines. She purchased her winning ticket at Casey's, 207 Front St. in Humeston.

Schindler said they had already shared the news with their children.

"They're all very happy for us," she said.

Schindler said she and Dave are planning to use some of the winnings to pay bills as well as purchase a new vehicle and a motor for their boat.