Baton Rouge Woman Uses Mother Numbers to Win Easy 5 Jackpot

After Saturday night's drawing, Baton Rouge resident Carolyn Blanchard became the fifth Louisiana Lottery Easy 5 jackpot winner this year.

"This is a big help for someone who is retired," Blanchard said when she visited Lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge on Monday to collect her $70,000 prize. She said she plans to invest her winnings.

The 76-year-old retired engineer reflected on how her late mother liked to play the Lottery. "She was lucky," Blanchard remarked. Because her mother didn't always understand the games, Blanchard said she would purchase plays for her mother and mark the set of numbers that belonged to her. After her mother's death, Blanchard said she still puts a mark next to a set of numbers in memory of her mother. As luck would have it, that marked set of Quick Pick numbers matched all five numbers in the Feb. 16 Easy 5 drawing.

Blanchard said she used to work part-time at Hi Nabor Supermarket #1A on Jones Creek Road in Baton Rouge where she purchased the winning ticket. The store will receive a one-time selling bonus of $700, which is one percent of the prize. Blanchard received $49,000 after federal and state taxes were withheld.

Ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age. Draw-style game tickets must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing. Anyone who may have a gambling problem or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem should call toll free 1-877-770-7867 for help.

For security purposes, the Lottery strongly encourages players to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchasing.