A Dubuque man bought a jackpot-winning lottery ticket on April Fools’ Day and even he had trouble believing that his incredible luck was real.
Earl Lape, 61, a retired mechanic, claimed his $40.03 million jackpot prize today (Monday) at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.
Lape chose to receive his winnings in the lump-sum option of $21.28 million. He said he planned to invest his winnings so the money could help his family for generations to come. He also is planning donations to organizations that benefit children with medical issues, specifically the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, and Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.
The Lotto America jackpot had been growing since July 2021. Before this latest run, the game’s jackpot record was a $22.82 million prize won in March 2018 by a Minnesota family.
