Stunned lottery winner screams at the top of his lungs in Iowa. ‘Couldn’t believe it’

A lottery player couldn’t help but be stunned over his huge lottery win in Iowa — especially after initially thinking he won a much smaller prize.

Adam Simons, of Ackley, now has big plans for his winnings after uncovering a jackpot prize on New Year’s Day, he told Iowa Lottery officials.

The 32-year-old said he dropped his girlfriend off at work on New Year’s Day, then he purchased a $20,000 Crossword scratch-off ticket at a Casey’s in Dows.

When he scratched off the ticket at home, he found out he won one of the game’s 34 top prizes of $20,000.

“I just screamed at the top of my lungs,” Simons told lottery officials. “I only thought it was a $300 winner, then I scanned it on my phone and I couldn’t believe it.”

Odds of winning $20,000 in the $2 game are 1 in 118,314.

“Simons... said he plans to use his winnings to make a down payment on a new car for his girlfriend, pay several months’ worth of rent and buy a couple of guitars,” according to an Iowa Lottery news release.

Ackley is about a 95-mile drive northwest from Cedar Rapids.

This story was originally published January 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM with the headline "Stunned lottery winner screams at the top of his lungs in Iowa. ‘Couldn’t believe it’."