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Lightning strikes twice: Des Moines man wins second big lottery prize this year

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July 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A central Iowa business owner has claimed a big lottery prize for the second time this year. Tom Clark went to Iowa Lottery headquarters Thursday to claim the top prize available in the “$250,000 Riches” scratch game. In February, the 63-year-old Clark claimed a $77,777 prize from another scratch ticket game. “I’m extra lucky. This is unbelievable,” Clark said. The most recent winning ticket was purchased Thursday morning at a Des Moines convenience store.

Clark, who co-owns Clark Glass, Inc. with his brothers, said he was in a hurry so he just scratched off the bar code of the $20 ticket so that he could check it right away using a self-scanner inside the store. “I just slid it in there to see it, if it was a winner or not, and it came up $250,000,” Clark said. “I thought, ‘what? no way!'” He then scratched off the entire ticket and verified that he had indeed won $250,000.

Clark plans to use his lottery winnings to pay off his mortgage and save for retirement. “I’m just going to enjoy life from now on,” Clark said.

(Radio Iowa)