No April Fool: Retired Iowa mechanic wins USD 40M lotto jackpot

At first, the recent winner of a USD 40 million jackpot says he couldn't believe he won the lottery — after all, he bought the ticket on April Fools' Day.

''I thought it was a joke,'' said Earl Lape, a 61-year-old retired mechanic from Dubuque, Iowa. Only after confirming his Lotto America ticket with a convenience store clerk was he convinced he won the big prize, according to the Iowa Lottery.

''I laughed. I thought it was April Fools,'' Earl Lape said after claiming his prize at the Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. Lape opted to take his winnings in cash, which for the drawing was USD 21.28 million. The USD 40 million prize was for those who take their winnings in an annuity, paid over 29 years.

Lotto America is played in 13 states and offers smaller prizes than the games Powerball and Mega Millions. But it also has much better odds — 1 in 26 million — of winning the jackpot.

Lape said he intends to use the money to help his family and will also make donations to benefit children with medical issues.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)