Within the past three weeks, north Iowans have won a half-million dollars with Iowa Lottery scratch games.
45-year-old Gregory Monahan of Mason City won the third top prize of $300,000 in the “Ruby Red Crossword” scratch game. He purchased his winning ticket at Kwik Star on South Federal Avenue in Mason City, where he had won a $40 prize earlier that he used to purchase the big winner..
When he claimed his winnings last week at Lottery headquarters in Clive, Monahan said “I just started screaming. Just the biggest rush of excitement ever.”
77-year-old Kenneth Putnam of Osage won the 26th top prize of $50,000 with the “$50,000 Super Crossword” scratch game. He purchased his winning ticket at Casey’s on Main Street in Osage and claimed his prize in the Lottery’s Mason City office last week.
Putnam said, ” I was shocked at first. I kept looking at the letters and going through it probably four or five times at least because I couldn’t believe it.”
Brent Quigley of Goodell (about 30 miles southwest of Mason City) won the 27th top prize of $50,000 in the “$50,000 Super Crossword” scratch game. The Hancock County man purchased his winning ticket at the Kwik Star on U.S. Highway 18 in Garner and claimed his windfall Monday (12.11) at the lottery’s regional office in Mason City.
On Thanksgiving day, 63-year-old Allen Walker of Algona won $50,000 with the “$100,000 Mega Crossword” scratch game after buying his winning ticket at Hy-Vee in Algona.
