Eastern Iowa Woman Wins First Massive Iowa Lottery Prize Of 2025

We have our first big Iowa Lottery winner of 2025, and she's right here in Eastern Iowa.

Sure, Iowa has had other "big" winners, with the biggest being $150,000, but an Eastern Iowa woman has won an even higher amount.

Today, we got word from officials with the Iowa Lottery that a Quad Cities woman has won a half-million dollar lottery prize.

Eastern Iowa Woman Scores First Massive Lottery Prize of the Year

A huge congratulations to Debora Dunn of Bettendorf. She just won the second top prize in the "Mega Bucks" scratch game with the Iowa Lottery. That top prize is worth $500,000 and it's all hers.

Dunn purchased her winning ticket at Kwik Star, 3510 Belmont Road in Bettendorf and claimed her prize Monday at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

Debora had to spend more than I would on a scratch ticket to win big money. A Mega Bucks scratch game ticket is $50 and features 13 top prizes of $500,000, 12 prizes of $25,000, and overall odds of 1 in 3.09.

Eastern Iowa Man Also Starts 2025 As A Winner

Debora isn't the only eastern Iowan to start the new year as a winner.

Michael Jones, 57, of Coralville, told Iowa Lottery officials that he was eager to finally receive a big novelty check after he won a $50,000 prize.

"I've been looking at those pictures of people for a long time," Michael Jones said, referring to Iowa Lottery winners. "It's kind of funny, I'm one of those people now!"

Jones bought his winning "In the Money" scratch game at Hy-Vee, 3285 Crosspark Road in Coralville. He claimed his top prize Monday at the lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids.