Iowa Lottery

Monona County Man Wins Top Prize Playing Favorite Game

Delbert Koenig Wins Top Prize of $30,000 Playing "Crossword" Scratch Game

  Hear Delbert tell his 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 Monona County man won a top prize playing the lottery's "Crossword" instant-scratch game.

Delbert Koenig, 80, said when he realized he had quite a few words scratched off on his favorite ticket, he better go back to Kirby's Corner Market, 221 Whittier St. in Whiting to have it validated.

"They told me I was a winner and I said, 'Well, I might as well buy another one,'" Koenig said with a laugh. "So I bought a five dollar one and I won at least ten dollars on that!"

Koenig said his children were the first to know about his big win.

"They're all pretty tickled about it!" he said.

Koenig, who is a security guard at a retail store, said he enjoys playing the Crossword game.

"I never expect to win much out of it, but it's fun," he said.

Koenig, who is from Whiting, claimed his prize Tuesday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Council Bluffs.

"It's kind of a dream," he said.

Koenig said he plans to use some of his winnings for home repair.