To reserve a square on his New Orleans Saints game-day football boards, Les Yoakum of New Orleans asked friends to contribute a $5 SAINTS FEVER! scratch-off.  At the end of the gatherings, he would collect any nonwinning tickets left by guests and send them into the Louisiana Lottery SAINTS FEVER! second-chance drawings.  That hospitality and diligence paid off when one of his entries was selected from more than 10,500 to win premium seats and pregame field passes for every 2016 season home game, as well as a VIP tour of the Saints Practice Facility.

"I’m going to be a pretty popular guy this season," quipped Yoakum who teaches sign language interpretation at Delgado Community College.

During the Lottery’s final SAINTS FEVER! second-chance drawing held April 5, Yoakum won a prize package that included the four season Plaza Sideline tickets, pregame field passes to watch the players warm up before the games and a parking pass. Also as part of his prize, Yoakum and three guests were provided limousine transportation to a private tour of the New Orleans Saints Practice Facility during the team’s June 15 mini camp, where the foursome watched the team practice from the owner’s balcony and enjoyed lunch in the team cafeteria.

"What strikes me the most is just how big everything is," Yoakum noted during the tour, "from the indoor practice field and larger than life team photos on the walls, to the weight room and locker room, not to mention the size of the 2009 championship ring!"

The Lottery launched the $5 SAINTS FEVER! scratch-off last year as part of a strategic alliance with the New Orleans Saints. In addition to the drawing in which Yoakum won his prize, three earlier second-chance drawings associated with the scratch-off were conducted last fall, where Lottery players submitted nonwinning SAINTS FEVER! scratch-offs for the chance to win game-day prize packages and official autographed Saints merchandise. 

The scratch-off game closed March 5, and instant-win prizes from the game must be claimed by July 2.  The Lottery will launch its 2016 Saints-themed scratch-off SAINTS GOLD on Aug. 8. More information on this game will be available on the Lottery’s website, www.louisianalottery.com, at that time.

Lottery ticket purchasers and second-chance drawing entrants must be at least 21 years of age. For security purposes, the Lottery encourages players to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchase. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available by calling 1-877-770-7867.