DES MOINES, Iowa — A huge crowd gathered at the Iowa State Fairgrounds to watch a live Iowa Lottery game show on Thursday, but only one person took home $500,000.
The game show was the grand finale of a joint initiative by the Iowa Lottery and Iowa State Fair. Iowans had the chance to purchase Iowa State Fair scratch tickets throughout the summer. Some players won instant prizes, but those who didn't could enter into the lottery's Fair Fever promotion.
Lottery players made more than 67,000 entries to the promotion. Of those, 20 were selected to participate in the game show Friday.
Steven "Jack" Stout of Indianola was the last man standing during the game show. During the final round, Stout had a chance to win up to $5 million, but ultimately won a cool $500,000.
Stout doesn't know what he'll do with the winnings quite yet, but may buy a house in the future.
19 other contestants also won sizeable prizes Thursday:
- Craig Bergman of Cedar Rapids, $10,000
- Michelle Cerwinske of Nashua, $25,000
- Margo Fox of Johnston, $50,000
- Kristine Frye of Des Moines, $10,000
- Nicole Gulick of Des Moines, $25,000
- Ryan Habeger of Algona, $10,000
- Gerald Johnson of Iowa City, $75,000
- Gerald Kennicker of Dubuque, $10,000
- Tamara McMahon of Council Bluffs, $20,000
- Steven Moore of Urbandale, $25,000
- Jolene Murray of Cedar Rapids, $15,000
- Mary Olin of Des Moines, $100,000
- Dawn Petersen of Colfax, $10,000
- Timothy Roberts of Ottumwa, $15,000
- Scott Stewart of Waterloo, $25,000
- Christine Tatman of Orange City, $10,000
- Rodney Tucker of Des Moines, $15,000
- Jeff Weiland of Dubuque, $25,000
- David Wesley of Des Moines, $25,000
The Iowa Lottery also awarded three prizes to audience members: Lori Wellman of West Des Moines and Karen Bowder of Pocahontas each won $5,000, while Mary Little of Brooklyn won $50,000.