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Woman spots red lottery tickets — her favorite color — and now she’ll be seeing green

Florence Hurla, 50, won $10,000 playing the Iowa Lottery’s Mega Crossword scratch-off game.
Florence Hurla, 50, won $10,000 playing the Iowa Lottery’s Mega Crossword scratch-off game. Iowa Lottery

When an Iowa woman spotted scratch-off tickets of her favorite color resting in a convenience store’s lottery dispenser, she couldn’t resist the urge to purchase a couple.

Luck was on Florence Hurla’s side, as one of the tickets was her favorite number — No. 4. That ticket turned out to be the big winner for Hurla, who made her purchase at a Casey’s gas station in Clinton while she was picking up a pizza, the Iowa Lottery said in a news release.

Hurla, from Clinton, said she had to look at the Mega Crossword ticket “over a hundred times” before the realization sunk in.

“I finally checked it with my phone, and it said $10,000. I couldn’t believe it!” Hurla told lottery officials..

Hurla upgraded her pizza night to a steak night, treating her daughter to dinner. She said she is unsure what she’ll do with the rest of her winnings.

Odds of being a $10,000 winner in the game were 1-in-59,643, according to lottery.

Clinton is about 85 miles east of Cedar Rapids.

BEHIND THE STORY

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When gambling is more than a game

Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published February 15, 2023 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Woman spots red lottery tickets — her favorite color — and now she’ll be seeing green."

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Mike Stunson
Lexington Herald-Leader
Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter. 
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