Linn County Man Surprised By $50,000 Lottery Win
Shawn Lafler Claims Top Prize In 'Red Hot Riches' Game
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CLIVE, Iowa — A Linn County man who won $50,000 said his hands were shaking too much to check his ticket.
Shawn Lafler, 32, of Palo, won the second top prize in the Iowa Lottery's "Red Hot Riches" scratch game. He purchased his winning ticket while on a camping trip at Bamboo Ridge Campground, 4550 Hess Road in Waterloo.
"I scratched it when I got back to the campground and I was just like, 'There's no way!'" Lafler said on Tuesday as he claimed his prize at the lottery's Cedar Rapids regional office.
He tried to verify his win by scanning the ticket with the Iowa Lottery mobile app, but couldn't keep from shaking.
"My hands were shaky," he said. "I couldn't stand still for it to register, so my buddy's the one who actually checked it on his phone."
Lafler, a carpenter, said he hasn't decided what he'll do with his winnings, but is considering paying off his truck and investing.
Red Hot Riches is a $5 scratch game that features eight top prizes of $50,000 and overall odds of 1 in 3.40. For more information about this game, and the number of prizes still available, visit www.ialottery.com.
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