Iowa Lottery

Clay County Woman's April Fool's Day Lottery Win Is No Joke

Euvonne Sheridan Wins the Top Prize Playing "Crossword" Scratch Game

  Hear Euvonne tell her story.

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DES MOINES, Iowa - A Clay County woman admits she wasn't even sure she believed she'd won the top prize of $30,000 playing the lottery's "Crossword" instant-scratch game on April Fool's Day.

Euvonne Sheridan, 22, said she knew she'd have some serious convincing to do after winning the $30,000 prize on April Fool's Day. It just so happened to be the day before Sheridan's 22nd birthday and the first time she'd ever played a scratch ticket as well.

"I just didn't even know what to say," Sheridan said. "You always think, 'Oh maybe I'll win,' but you never really do."

Sheridan's boyfriend, Clay, was with her when she scratched the ticket. She said she was glad to have someone there to double-check the ticket for her.

"At first I thought I'd just won the $3,000 prize, and so he was double-checking it and he looked up and said, 'Hey, you just won thirty thousand,'" Sheridan said.

Sheridan, who is from Greenville, called her mom to tell her the news, but said her mom thought she was pulling a prank.

"I had to take a picture and send it to her," Sheridan said with a laugh.

Sheridan, who is a full-time communication and graphic design student at Buena Vista University, said she decided to try a Crossword ticket after reading several stories in the newspaper about other Crossword winners. She said she's looking forward to being a good luck charm to all her friends and family.

Sheridan claimed her prize Monday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Storm Lake. She purchased her ticket at Casey's, 720 Hwy 71 in Sioux Rapids.

Sheridan said she hasn't made any plans for her winnings just yet.