Iowa Lottery

Cedar County Man Uses $5 Lottery Win Towards $50,000 Win

Art St. John Claims Top Prize Playing "Hot $50,000" Scratch Game

  Hear Art tell his story.

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DES MOINES, Iowa - A Cedar County man decided to put his $5 lottery prize towards a "Hot $50,000" scratch ticket and ended up winning a top prize of $50,000.

Art St. John, 70, said the winning prize symbol was the very last thing he scratched on the ticket.

"I just couldn't believe it. At first I thought five dollars, then I thought fifty dollars and then I said, 'Wow! Fifty thousand!'" St. John said.

St. John was alone when he scratched his ticket, so he called his wife, Phyllis, right away to tell her the news.

"She reacted like me, with disbelief," he said.

St. John, who lives in Stanwood, said he likes to play scratch tickets and is having fun sharing the news.

"It's starting to become common knowledge around town," he said.

St. John claimed his prize Monday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids. He purchased his winning ticket at Petromart, 1118 Hwy 30 in Stanwood.

He said he's taking some time to think about how to use his winnings.

"I know I'd like to share it with my sons," St. John said.

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