Retirement is off to a memorable start for a Newton couple after a weekend bike ride led to an unexpected $50,000 Powerball win.
Reggie Blumeyer discovered the news Sunday morning when he checked his Powerball ticket through the Iowa Lottery mobile app. He said the result caught him completely off guard, and his reaction had his wife wondering if something was seriously wrong.
Blumeyer purchased the ticket at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh on First Avenue East in Newton. The ticket was an Easy Pick and was purchased using money he had won from another lottery ticket.
The winning numbers from Saturday’s drawing gave Blumeyer a $50,000 prize after he matched four of the five white balls along with the Powerball.
Blumeyer and his wife retired in May, making the unexpected prize a welcome addition to their new chapter. He said the winnings will likely go toward purchasing a new pickup truck.
Blumeyer officially claimed the prize Monday at the Iowa Lottery’s headquarters in Clive.
While the couple may have started their retirement with a bike ride, Blumeyer ended the weekend with plans for a much bigger purchase.
