Ottumwa man wins $108,000 lottery prize

CLIVE — Terry Burtlow Jr. was making an innocent stop at Casey's in Pella after making a service call.

He then picked up a Jackpot Party Progressive InstaPlay ticket. The rest, they say, is history.

Burtlow, who works for Dr. Pepper in Ottumwa, won $108,639 in the game, purchasing the ticket at the Casey's store located at 414 S. Clark St.

"I go back out to my truck, and I open up the Iowa Lottery app on my phone, scan the ticket and had to do a double take," he today lottery officials when claiming his prize last Wednesday. "I mean, my heart's racing. I couldn't stop shaking. I had to sit in the parking lot for a little bit just to kind of level out before I started driving again."

He couldn't wait for the trip back to Ottumwa to tell his wife, Ginny, of the win.

"I actually FaceTimed her and just her face on the screen, you could just see her jaw hit the floor," Burtlow said. "She couldn't believe it."

The Progressive jackpot starts at $10,000 and increased with each ticket sold statewide until it is won. Burtlow was in rare territory; of the 41 jackpots won in the game since it debuted in 2018, only five have surpassed the $100,000 mark.

"I know it's rare to see it go over $100,000," he said. "The last week I just kept watching it grow and grow and grow. I'm like, 'Man, is that thing ever going to hit?' It finally hit."

Burtlow said he and his wife plan to use the winnings to pay off their mortgage and two cars, then save the rest.

"Christmas shopping is already done for us, so yeah, we'll just sit on it," he said. "You never know when things are going to happen and you need that rainy-day money."