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Two lottery players ‘bought everybody a round’ after winning jackpot at Iowa bar

James “Jim” Bergmann, 59, and Francis “Frank” Peters, 79, won $194,107 in the Iowa Lottery’s Jackpot Party Progressive InstaPlay game.
James “Jim” Bergmann, 59, and Francis “Frank” Peters, 79, won $194,107 in the Iowa Lottery’s Jackpot Party Progressive InstaPlay game. Iowa Lottery

A high-five and a round of drinks may seem like a subdued celebration for a jackpot lottery win.

But for James “Jim” Bergmann and Francis “Frank” Peters, they had been there, done that.

The duo from northeast Iowa recently collected $194,107 after winning the top prize in the Jackpot Party Progressive InstaPlay game.

They purchased the ticket at Frederika Tap in Frederika, where they quickly realized they were big winners.

“We did a little high-five and bought everybody a round,” said Bergmann, 59.

He told lottery officials it was six months to the day after their last big win. In September 2022, they won $17,366 from the same game with a ticket they purchased at the same bar.

Peters, a 79-year-old semi-retired farmer, said he’ll use his portion of the winnings to tend to his farm. Bergmann does not have plans for his winnings, telling officials he’ll “probably just hang on to it.”

The odds of winning the top prize in the Jackpot Party game are 1-in-40,000. The jackpot starts at $10,000 and increases with each ticket sold.

BEHIND THE STORY

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When gambling is more than a game

Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Two lottery players ‘bought everybody a round’ after winning jackpot at Iowa bar."

MS
Mike Stunson
Lexington Herald-Leader
Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter. 
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