Guess Who 'Had No Clue' He Was $10,000 Richer

A news release from the Iowa Lottery:

A West Des Moines man had no idea he had won a $10,000 prize in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing until he had a grocery store clerk scan his ticket.

“I had no clue. I was just there getting some groceries and cashing a check and I told them just to run the ticket for me,” said Paul Beckman. “I made it through the store and everybody in the store knew I had won by the time I had got out of the grocery store.”

Beckman, a regular Mega Millions and Powerball player, said he had previously won just $7 in the two lotto games. He said he doesn’t have a set of numbers he regularly plays.

“And then I win $10,000,” he said with a laugh.

After finding out he had won, Beckman said he had a celebratory steak dinner Saturday night and put his winning ticket in a safe place.

“I hid the ticket in the house so I wouldn’t misplace it until (Monday) morning,” he said.

Beckman, an electrician for Lazer Electric in Des Moines, claimed his prize at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Des Moines. He purchased his winning ticket Friday at Quik Trip, 4575 NW Second St. in Des Moines.

Beckman said he plans to use his winnings to pay some bills and pay for a previously scheduled trip to the Bahamas.

The winning numbers in the $19 million jackpot drawing on July 26 were: 4-22-23-27-38 and Mega Ball 42. The Megaplier® number that night was 4.

Beckman matched four white balls and the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. If he would have added the Megaplier to his ticket, he would have multiplied his win to $40,000.

There was one jackpot winning ticket in the July 26 Mega Millions drawing. The winning ticket was bought in New Jersey. Friday’s estimated jackpot is $13 million.

Players can multiply their prizes (except the jackpot) with the Megaplier up to four times. The cost is $1 per play or $2 per play with the Megaplier.

Winning numbers may be checked at the lottery website at www.ialottery.com or through the winning numbers' hot line at (515) 323-4633. Winning numbers may also be checked with lottery retail outlets or by calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Since the lottery’s start in 1985, its players have won more than $3.1 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.4 billion for the state programs that benefit all Iowans.

Today, lottery proceeds in Iowa have three main purposes: They provide support for veterans, help for a variety of significant projects through the state General Fund, and backing for the Vision Iowa program, which was implemented to create tourism destinations and community attractions in the state and build and repair schools.