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An Iowa woman normally takes a while to check her lottery tickets for winners, but a friend urged her to check to see if she won on her Powerball ticket recently and it paid off in a huge way!
A big win in Iowa
Lynne Kannuan of Webster City said she often will wait weeks before checking the results of her lottery tickets. However, she was having a normal day at work on a Tuesday last month when her friend from Arkansas messaged her online.
The friend told her that someone in Webster City had won $1 million in the Powerball drawing the night before, so it was time for Kannuan to check her ticket!
"I hadn't checked my ticket. I had it in my purse," she told lottery officials. "I don't usually check my tickets until maybe two or three weeks later. I wouldn't have checked it if she hadn't told me. She goes, 'Go check your ticket, it might be you!'"
Well, lo and behold, Kannuan did have the $1 million-winning ticket in the Powerball drawing on August 5.
Checking the numbers twice
After her friend contacted her, Kannuan said she logged onto the Iowa Lottery’s website to check the winning Powerball numbers from the previous night. As it turns out, she had matched the five winning white ball numbers, but missed the Powerball number to win the $1 million prize.
The winning white ball numbers for that August 5 drawing were 29, 42, 44, 51, and 54, and the Powerball number was 12. She was the only ticket in the country to win a $1 million prize that night.
Kannuan told lottery officials, "I had to check the numbers twice to make sure. And then I got up slowly and walked straight to my boss's office. And I said, 'Um ...' And she goes, 'What? What's going on, Lynne?' So I sat down and I said, 'I think I won the $1 million!'"
Claiming her prize
After immediately calling her husband and adult sons, Kannuan and her husband took some time to figure things out before claiming their prize.
The couple stayed quiet for about six weeks and consulted a lawyer and financial planner before making their way to Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive to claim their winnings.
Kannuan claimed the winnings through the Lynne Kannuan Living Trust and said she plans on paying off bills, investing, and sharing some with her family. She also said she’ll get a newer car.
The couple talked with lottery officials about how far they have come, literally and figuratively. They both immigrated as children to the United States from Laos. Even with the big win, Kannuan said they plan on just going about their normal days. She said her winnings are the perfect amount, “Not too much, not too little, just right.”
The lucky lottery retailer
The winning Powerball ticket was purchased at Fareway, located at 942 Second St. in Webster City. Kannuan happened to stop there for some groceries on her way home from work.
While at the store, she realized she had a scratch-off ticket in her purse that was a $5 winner. She decided to use a portion of that prize to buy a Powerball ticket and she turned her $5 win into a $1 million win!
For selling the winning ticket, the Fareway will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery.
Enjoy playing the Iowa Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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