Iowa Lottery

Clinton County Man Keeps $10,000 Win A Secret

Alfred Pepmeier Wins Top Prize Playing the "Triple Fortune" Scratch Game

  Hear Alfred 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 Clinton County man said he's been dying to be able to share the news of his $10,000 win playing the "Triple Fortune" scratch game, but he wanted to keep it to himself until he claimed his prize.

Alfred Pepmeier, 86, said he scratched the ticket at Day Break, 102 Highway 30 in Wheatland right after purchasing it and couldn't believe his eyes.

"I saw the 10 and I thought, 'Oh good, I got $10,'" Pepmeier said. "And then the three zeros came up behind it!"

Pepmeier's son was with him, so Pepmeier shared the news with him, but said he didn't want to tell anyone else until after he claimed his prize July 6 at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids.

"It wasn't easy!" Pepmeier said.

Pepmeier, who is from Wheatland, said he didn't get much sleep the night before claiming his prize.

"It makes you think and you also pick it up and look at it a few times to make sure you really won," he said.

Pepmeier said he hasn't made any plans for his money yet.

"I never figured I'd win!" he said. "But I'm too old not to use it."

Return to top↑