EVANSDALE MAN WINS $30,000 LOTTERY PRIZE

Michael Matney Wins Top Prize Playing the "Crossword" Scratch Game

DES MOINES, Iowa – An Evansdale man won the top prize of $30,000 playing the "Crossword" instant-scratch game.

Michael Matney claimed his prize Tuesday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids. He bought his winning ticket at Casey's, 3601 Lafayette in Evansdale.

Crossword is a $3 scratch game. Players win a prize by uncovering at least three complete words in the ticket’s puzzle. If a player uncovers 10 words, he/she wins $30,000. The overall odds of winning in the game are about 1 in 4.

Seven prizes of $30,000 are still up for grabs in Crossword as well as eight prizes of $3,000, more than 135 prizes of $300 as well as more than 635 prizes of $100.

Since the Iowa Lottery's start 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.