BATON ROUGE – Like his family’s favorite team, Louis “L.P.” Ledet discovered persistence pays off when his nonwinning SAINTS GOLD scratch-off was selected from more than 14,000 entries during the Louisiana Lottery’s final second-chance drawing to win a 2017 Saints Season Prize Package. 

“I’ve been mailing in my nonwinning tickets every year and it finally happened!” Ledet exclaimed. 

Ledet’s prize includes four 2017 Plaza Sideline season tickets, a season parking pass and pregame field passes to watch the players warm up before the games. In addition, Ledet and three guests were provided with hotel accommodations and a private tour of the New Orleans Saints Practice Facility during the team’s June 14 mini camp, where the foursome watched the team practice from the owner’s balcony and enjoyed lunch in the team cafeteria. 

The Lafayette resident recalled that he was in college at University of Louisiana Lafayette – then named University of Southwestern Louisiana – when the Saints first became a professional team. He and his mother were immediately diehard fans. 

“She never got a chance to see them have a winning season, but she watched them every week,” Ledet reminisced. “My dad would always cheer for whoever they were playing just to aggravate her.”

Soon after being notified of winning, Ledet attended his family’s annual spring crawfish boil. “I had them all come into the living room, and told them what happened,” Ledet said. “There were a lot of happy people!” With a season’s worth of tickets, he offered one game to each of his seven brothers and sisters, his two children and his girlfriend’s two children, and said each game is already all booked up.
 
The Lottery launched the $5 SAINTS GOLD scratch-off last year as part of a strategic alliance with the New Orleans Saints. Ledet’s prize was won during the last of four second-chance drawings for the 2016 Saints ticket. Players sent in nonwinning SAINTS GOLD tickets for a chance to win one of five Saints prize packages – each including a unique fan experience – and autographed Saints merchandise. 

Also during the May 1 second-chance drawing, nine additional entries were drawn to receive official autographed Saints merchandise. Lenward Goree of Simsboro, Judy Joseph of New Iberia and Dana Faul of Breaux Bridge won official autographed Saints jerseys; Allen Green of Belle Chasse, Gene Jones of Hammond and Robin Long of Thibodaux won official autographed Saints helmets; and Sandra Duthu of Houma, Valarie Banks of Baker and Adaline Patterson of Gretna won official autographed Saints footballs.

The SAINTS GOLD scratch-off game closed on March 24, and instant prizes from the game must be claimed by July 22. 

The 2017 Saints-themed scratch-off titled SAINTS GAME ON! will go on sale Aug. 14. The game will remain at the $5 price point and will feature even more game-day experience second-chance prizes. More information on the game and corresponding second-chance drawings 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.