Michael Duval of Joice matched the first five numbers, but missed the Hot Ball in that drawing to win a $30,000 prize. But the 73-year-old said he also had the correct Hot Ball number on another play on the same ticket, which netted him an additional $2 prize and would’ve won the jackpot if it was part of his other winning play.
“The only problem was that ‘No. 4’ was the Hot Ball and it was on the next line. I tried to move it, but it wouldn’t move,” Duval jokingly told lottery employees Wednesday as he claimed his prize at the lottery’s regional office in Mason City.
The winning numbers in last Saturday’s $2.55 million jackpot drawing were: 6-9-18-20-36 and Hot Ball 4. The jackpot has grown to $2.7 million for Saturday’s drawing. The game has an all-cash jackpot with withholding taxes paid, meaning that if the advertised jackpot is $2.7 million, the winner will receive a one-time, lump-sum payment for that full amount.
Duval, who is retired from the U.S. government, said he’s a loyal Hot Lotto player and plays his own set of numbers in each drawing, plus an additional set of easy pick numbers that the lottery terminal randomly chooses. It was an easy pick play that won the $30,000 prize for Duval this time.
“I will turn my heat up a little bit for the winter,” he said.
Winning numbers may be checked at the lottery website at www.ialottery.com or through the winning numbers hot line at (515) 323-4633.
