Iowa Lottery launches new 'Warehouse Dash' promotion

Six Iowa Lottery players will have a chance to grab valuable prizes during a special warehouse dash promotion that was unveiled this week.

State lottery chief executive officer Terry Rich said Tuesday his agency is throwing open the doors to the warehouse that supplies all of its VIP Club prizes -- including televisions, electronics, house wares, jewelry, camping gear, sporting equipment and other merchandise.

Players whose names are drawn to be contestants in the “Warehouse Dash” promotion that began Monday will get to choose a partner to accompany them on a weekend getaway to Chicago and participate in a 90-second dash through that prize warehouse to grab as much top-brand merchandise as they can, Rich said.

To enter the promotion, Iowa Lottery players must join or already be a member of the lottery's VIP Club. On the ticket-entry page on the VIP Club website at www.ialotteryvip.com, players will be asked to enter the 10-digit entry number from the front of a non-winning $10 “Did I Win?” instant-scratch ticket, along with the ticket number from the back. A different non-winning Did I Win ticket must be used for each entry.

The lottery will hold two drawings to determine the six contestants for the warehouse dash. Three contestants will be chosen in a drawing April 12 for a weekend get-away May 11-12. A second round of three contestants will be selected in a drawing May 23 for the same weekend get-away package June 22-23, Rich said.

The six contestants and their guests will get a two-night stay at a downtown Chicago hotel, a welcome dinner at a nearby steakhouse, transportation to and from the warehouse for the dash. Each contestant will receive $1,500 travel and spending cash and the lottery also will pay the state and federal taxes for the prize package.

The Warehouse Dash prize package is valued at an estimated $20,000, but the total amount will be determined by the merchandise each winner selects during the dash.

“We can't wait to see all the great items Iowa contestants will grab during their 90 seconds of fun,” Rich said. “It could be the perfect way to outfit a home theater room, get all the supplies you need for a new kitchen, or set up a home office. Who knows? Check through our VIP Club store in advance to get just a taste of all the possibilities in store. The items in the warehouse will include those items and much more.”

Non-winning Did I Win scratch tickets can be entered in the promotion from noon Monday through noon April 10 for the first drawing and through noon May 21 for the second drawing. Entries not selected in the first drawing will still be eligible for the second drawing.