MARION WOMAN WINS $25,000 LOTTERY PRIZE

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Ruth Thomsen Wins Top Prize Playing "Wild Bingo" Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Marion woman won the top prize of $25,000 playing the "Wild Bingo" instant-scratch game.

Ruth Thomsen claimed her prize Tuesday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids. She bought her winning ticket at Hy-Vee Gas, 3550 Highway 151 E. in Marion.

Wild Bingo is a $2 scratch game. Players try to match any complete horizontal, vertical or diagonal line, four corners, or an "X" pattern on one of the four Bingo cards to win the corresponding prize in the prize arrow that points to their card. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are 1 in 3.57.

Seven top prizes of $25,000 have yet to be claimed in Wild Bingo, along with 15 prizes of $2,500, as well as more than 30 prizes of $500 and more than 280 prizes of $150 and $250.

Since the Iowa Lottery's inception in 1985, more than $2.4 billion has been awarded in prizes and more than $1.2 billion has been raised for state programs.