Circle K Clerk Followed Policy and Bought a Forgotten Lottery Ticket. Then Got Fired When It Won $12.8 Million
Lottery disputes regularly end up in court when ownership of a winning ticket is unclear. In Iowa, that broader issue narrowed to a Circle K employee in Des Moines who said she followed store policy, bought a customer’s abandoned ticket, and was later fired after it hit a $12.8 million jackpot.
The ticket, the firing, and the jackpot amount
The case centers on Circle K, former clerk Kelli Steffens, and a Lotto America ticket that matched the winning numbers for a $12.8 million jackpot in Iowa. According to court filings, the ticket was sold at a Circle K store in Des Moines for the Nov. 29, 2023, drawing after an unidentified customer did not complete the purchase. Steffens said she then bought the ticket herself.
Court records state Steffens later presented the winning ticket to the Iowa Lottery and was initially awarded the prize. Those same filings say Circle K fired her in 2024 after the company determined the purchase violated its policy. The dispute now focuses on whether Steffens was allowed to buy a ticket that had been left behind at the register.
The Iowa Lottery has confirmed the winning ticket came from a Des Moines Circle K location. Public records tied to the case also show the jackpot amount at issue is $12.8 million, placing the case among the larger lottery disputes recently to surface in Iowa.
What is confirmed in Iowa, and what remains unclear
What is publicly confirmed is limited to Iowa, the Des Moines store, and the Nov. 29, 2023 Lotto America drawing. Court filings identify the central question as ownership of the ticket and whether company policy allowed an employee to complete the purchase after the original customer left. Circle K has not released a broader public breakdown of any related employment actions at other Iowa stores.
It is also confirmed through the legal dispute that the original customer has not been publicly identified in the records described in reporting on the case. What is not yet publicly clear is how long the ticket remained unpaid at the register before Steffens bought it, or whether any surveillance review has been fully detailed in open court filings.
For Iowa residents, the case remains specific to one retailer and one jackpot-winning ticket. There is no public indication from lottery officials that the drawing itself was compromised or that other winning tickets from that date are under review.
Why this case matters and what customers should expect
The underlying issue is not the drawing result but the rules around ticket possession, retailer procedures, and employee purchases. Lottery and court records described in coverage of the dispute show the case turning on whether Steffens followed store practice or broke a policy that Circle K said justified termination. That distinction matters because lottery prizes are generally awarded to the lawful holder of a valid ticket.
For customers in Iowa, the practical takeaway is straightforward: ticket ownership can become contested when a purchase is interrupted at the counter. The Iowa Lottery has confirmed the winning ticket was tied to a valid sale at the Des Moines Circle K, but the employment dispute and any policy questions are separate from the drawing result itself.
The next steps are likely to remain in legal filings and administrative records rather than in new lottery procedures. As of the public record reflected in the case, the jackpot amount, the store location, and the drawing date are established facts, while the policy dispute remains the key unresolved issue.
