DES MOINES WOMAN WINS GRAND PRIZE
IN 'WIN BIG OR GO HOME!' PROMOTION

For media-ready jpeg image of Carmen Davenport click here.

Lottery Promotion Offered Grand Prize Of Chicago Baseball Getaway

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines woman is heading to the Windy City for a weekend of fun after winning the grand prize in the Iowa Lottery's Chicago Baseball Getaway promotion.

Carmen Davenport was selected as the promotion’s grand prize winner Sunday. Davenport was announced the "MVP" of the lottery's "Win Big or Go Home! Chicago Baseball Getaway" promotion during an on-field presentation at the Iowa Cubs home game in Des Moines. She also got to throw out the first pitch of the game.

"I said, 'Don’t call my name, don't call my name.' I couldn’t believe it!" said Davenport through tears of joy.

The Chicago Baseball Getaway promotion ran from June 15-Aug. 17. Players entered by mailing to the lottery three nonwinning "Win Big Or Go Home!" instant-scratch tickets.

During the promotion's preliminary drawing on Aug. 19, nine semifinalists were selected who each got to participate in Sunday's final drawing. Each semifinalist won four tickets to the Iowa Cubs game, a parking pass for the game, $100 cash and entry to a Principal Park pre-game picnic.

Then just before the game, a reverse drawing was held to determine the promotion's grand-prize winner. The semifinalists were eliminated one by one until just Davenport's name remained.

"I wasn't really nervous until I got up here and sat down," said Davenport explaining her pre-drawing jitters. "I don't want them to call my name."

As the promotion's MVP, Davenport won four tickets to the Sept. 12 home game of a certain professional baseball team in Chicago and $1,000 spending money for while she is there.

The first person Davenport called to share the good news with was her sister, who in turn was going to call the rest of the family.

"They're going to be oh so surprised," said Davenport.

Davenport's advice for other lottery players? "Oh my goodness. You'd better stick to it and do it!"

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, its players have won more than $2.4 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised nearly $1.2 billion for state programs.

For a complete list of all of the winners from the 'Win Big or Go Home! Chicago Baseball Getaway' promotion click here.