Cedar Rapids couple wins Lucky for Life lottery prize

A Cedar Rapids couple won the Lucky for Life lottery prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Chuck and Sherry Thomas are Iowa’s 13th winners, and Chuck Thomas said the good fortune was a result of a happy accident

Chuck Thomas, 60, originally bought a Lucky for Life ticket for what he thought was the Nov. 4, 2021, drawing, not realizing the game had switched to daily instead of twice-weekly drawings.

When he learned the ticket was for Nov. 3, he bought a second ticket for Nov. 4, which was the winner, according to an Iowa Lottery news release.

He bought the ticket at a Casey’s at 641 Edgewood Rd. NW in Cedar Rapids.

The Thomases waited to claim their prize until they had a plan in place and chose to receive a lump-sum payment of $390,000.

While the couple said they were considering buying a hot tub, they plan to save and invest most of their winnings for their retirement.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with daily drawings. The minimum guaranteed payout for the top two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for those who prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

Comments: hannah.pinski@thegazette.com