McCausland Couple Hits $50,000 at “The Lucky Frog” Bar

What started as a laid-back fall afternoon at a local bar turned into a $50,000 shocker for Michael Belk of McCausland, Iowa.

Belk and his wife, Claire, were enjoying the sunshine at The Lucky Frog, their go-to neighborhood spot, when a few scratch tickets changed everything. He had picked up the “$50,000 Super Crossword” tickets earlier that day from a Casey’s in De Witt, never expecting much beyond a small win.

“We were just relaxing, scratching tickets on the patio,” Belk recalled. “I thought I’d won $25 — until I scanned it with the lottery app. Then it flashed $50,000!”

At first, he didn’t believe it. “I thought I missed a few letters,” he laughed. “But the phone never lies, so I figured it was real!”

Belk later confirmed the win at the Iowa Lottery’s Cedar Rapids office, becoming the 90th top-prize winner of the $5 scratch-off game.

As for what’s next? The couple is keeping it simple. “No big spending plans,” Belk said. “We’re both retired, so this just makes enjoying retirement a little sweeter.”

Game details:

• Ticket: $50,000 Super Crossword

• Top Prize: $50,000

• Ticket Price: $5

• Overall Odds: 1 in 3.26