Lightning struck twice for one very lucky player in Iowa.
Marie Johnson-Fernandez of Williamsburg hit another major jackpot after winning $59,500 in the Pick 4 lottery game earlier this month, according to the Iowa Lottery.
Officials said Johnson-Fernandez “purchased multiple plays with different bet types and amounts, and won on each by matching all four numbers in the exact order drawn: 1-0-1-0.”
She bought her tickets at a Casey’s store in Williamsburg and later checked the results online after the Oct. 10 drawing.
“I saw 1-0-1-0 and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute!’ ” said Johnson-Fernandez, who retired from her job at a local school district in May. “I had to blink a few times. Then I got excited like I always do.”
After confirming the win, she called her husband at work and drove to the Iowa Lottery offices in Cedar Rapids to claim her prize. Johnson-Fernandez said she plans to use her winnings to pay bills and to enjoy a cruise she has booked for 2026.
Her latest windfall comes just six months after she won $26,500 from another Pick 4 game in April.
When it comes to playing the lottery, Johnson-Fernandez said she keeps her emotions steady—even when the numbers line up.
“My whole system is to remain calm,” she shared. “I may scream out loud, but my whole thing is to not hyperventilate and pass out because I’m usually someplace by myself.”
In the Pick 4 game, players select four numbers from 0 through 9 in a variety of combinations for each play, according to the Iowa Lottery.
