Mitchell County Woman Wins $10,000 Lottery Prize
Julie Ackley Claims Big Prize In '$100,000 Mega Crossword' Game
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CLIVE, Iowa — A Mitchell County woman said she'll always double-check her lottery tickets after winning $10,000 on a ticket she previously thought was a non-winner.
"I'm glad I didn't throw it away," Julie Ackley told officials on Tuesday as she claimed her prize at the lottery's Mason City regional office.
Ackley, 59, of Osage won the big prize in the Iowa Lottery's "$100,000 Mega Crossword" scratch game. She bought her winning ticket at Kwik Star, 809 Main St. in Osage.
But it wasn't until a return trip to double-check a handful of tickets that she realized her good fortune. She was using the store's self-checker when she uncovered the big prize.
"Oh, I was jumping around the gas station, I swear," she said with a laugh. "I scanned it about three times and showed people: 'Look!'"
She took the ticket home to show her boyfriend, who was in disbelief, then made immediate plans to claim her prize at the lottery office in Mason City.
Ackley said she hasn't decided what she'll do with her winnings.
The $100,000 Mega Crossword is a $10 scratch game that features overall odds of 1 in 3.30 and 38 top prizes of $100,000. For more information about this game, and the number of prizes still available, visit www.ialottery.com.
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