CHARLES CITY MAN BECOMES COLLEGE-BOUND
WITH $10,000 LOTTERY PRIZE

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Anthony Lonergan Wins Top Prize Playing "10X The Money" Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Charles City man can finally decide on a school and begin his college education after winning a $10,000 lottery prize.

Anthony Lonergan won the top prize playing the lottery's "10X The Money" instant-scratch game.

"It's kind of a dream situation, really," Lonergan said as he claimed his prize Wednesday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Mason City.

Lonergan picked up the ticket after saving some money on his grocery shopping. He said he couldn't believe he was seeing the ticket right. He has since told one of his friends.

"He was kind of astonished really. It's not every day something like this happens, and I don't really have good luck," he said.

Lonergan plans to use the winnings to help pay for tuition to college.

"This is going to help get me into college and get me on my career path," he said.

Lonergan purchased his winning ticket at Fareway Stores, Inc., 210 11th St. in Charles City.

"It shows that perseverance and hard work sometimes comes to back 'ya and good things come to people who really need it," he said.

Lonergan says he plans to keep playing.

"Within moderation, as everybody should," he said.

10X The Money is a $2 scratch game. Players try to win a prize by matching any of "Your Numbers" to any of the "Winning Numbers" to win the prize shown for that number. If players find the "10X" symbol, players win 10 times the prize shown for that symbol. Prizes in the game range from $2 to $10,000. The game has overall odds of winning of 1 in 3.98.

Three top prizes of $10,000 are still available in 10X The Money, as well as more than 15 prizes of $500, and more than 375 prizes of $80.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, more than $2.2 billion has been awarded in prizes and more than $1.1 billion has been raised for state programs.