Iowa Lottery

Des Moines Woman's $30,000 Win Almost Fooled Her

Patricia Sims Wins First Top Prize Playing New "Racing To Riches" Scratch Game

  Hear Patricia tell her story.

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DES MOINES, Iowa - A Des Moines woman said she though it was still April Fool's Day when she won $30,000 prize playing the "Racing To Riches" instant-scratch game.

Patricia Sims, 53, said even though she scratched her ticket on April 2, she thought she had been fooled.

"It was the first roll so I picked the first two tickets," Sims said. "I thought this is April Fool's Day, they're just playing."

After scratching off the ticket, Sims took it straight back to the retailer to have it validated.

"He said, 'Well, I don't really know how this ticket goes, but I'll run it through.' And the machine went, 'You're a winner!'" Sims laughed.

Sims was at home when she discovered her win and called her son before coming in to the Iowa Lottery Headquarters to claim her prize Friday. Sims said her son was speechless when he saw the winning ticket.

"Out of all the years I've been playing the lottery, this is the most I've won in my entire life," Sims said.

In the past, Sims has won prizes of $1,000 and $3,000 playing the lottery. She said she also enjoys playing the lottery's Pick 3 game very much.

Sims purchased her winning ticket at Quik Trip, 1501 E. Grand Ave. in Des Moines.