"I could be dead tomorrow, but I'd have a world record before I go," one participant joked.
More than 1,300 people in Iowa came together this week to attempt to break a world record with the help of their state's lottery.
On Thursday, Aug. 14, the Iowa Lottery tapped roughly 1,380 people at the Iowa State Fair to attempt the Guinness World Record for the most people scratching scratch tickets simultaneously -- ultimately giving them a massive edge over the previous record holder.
The state lottery first put out a call to participants on its website, encouraging anyone over the age of 21 to swing by the fair's Elwell Family Park, where all participants were given a free Scratch, Match & Win! ticket to try their luck. An official adjudicator from Guinness World Records was onsite, according to the lottery.
When announcing the record attempt, the Iowa Lottery also revealed that all participants would be entered into a drawing to be held following the event, with a grand-prize winner scoring $40,000 and two other winners each taking home $4,000. Katherine Blank Pierce of Des Moines won the night's biggest prize, per the Des Moines Register.
While not all participants left the experience with extra cash in their pockets, they did leave with bragging rights. According to both the Register and CBS affiliate KCCI, an impressive 1,380 people took part and beat the previous world record by 830 people.
A spokesperson for Guinness World Records did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request to confirm the new record on Saturday, Aug. 16.
"That's the way it is, if you play a game, you lose some, you win some," joked participant Anne Vuong when speaking with NBC affiliate WHO-DT.
The previous record holder, which still appears on Guinness' website, was the Totalizator Sportowy Lotto in Warsaw, Poland. The lottery secured the title in 2023 when 550 people came together to scratch off their tickets, most of which earned them between 5 to 60 Polish zloty (or roughly $1 to $16).
The new record in the Midwest, however, was in celebration of the Iowa Lottery's 40th birthday. Adjudicator Michael Empric from Guinness confirmed that participants indeed broke the record, according to the Register, which shared an image of the lottery's latest plaque.
"This is a celebration 40 years in the making," Matt Strawn, CEO of the Iowa Lottery, said. "The first Iowa Lottery ticket was sold at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. I can't think of a better way to celebrate how the lottery has given back."
Footage shared by KCCI showed participants sitting together on bleachers and scratching their tickets after being told when to start by master of ceremonies Jeff Angelo.
Participant Judy Hemingson joked with ABC affiliate WOI-DT that she decided to take part in the lottery festivities with her daughter "because I'm old."
"I got to thinking, 'How many years do I have left to live and have a world record?' So with that, I reached out to my daughter," she said. "So it's like, 'Hey, you want to do this with me? Because I could be dead tomorrow but I'd have a world record before I go.' "