Calmar man wins $50,000 in Iowa Lottery game

A Calmar man working on a construction project in Algona won big on a scratch ticket he purchased to help pass the time.

Scott Hotvedt of Calmar said he stopped in at the convenience store in Algona for a Lottery scratch ticket for something to do at his hotel room that night. "I would've been happy with a $25 winner," he said.  Instead, he won the $50,000 top prize--although he had to have another person double-check his work and he also returned to the convenience store where he purchased the ticket at to verify he'd won.

"The guy I room with – I told him to count them," Hotvedt said. "He counted and then I made sure all the letters were right."

Hotvedt said he was still in disbelief that he'd won $50,000, and didn't have a chance to think about how he'll use the winnings.