Louisiana Has a New Millionaire!

Dixie Edmonston of St. Amant claimed the $1,432,870 Lotto jackpot today at Lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge.  

"I won $10 on a scratch-off ticket and asked a friend to cash it and buy some more tickets.  I had no idea it would turn into $1,000,000!  I'm extremely overwhelmed," she said.  

After learning that his wife won the Lottery, her husband Mac told his employer the Department of Public Works in Ascension Parish, "Mom's got the lottery numbers so I have to take off…and I'm not coming back!"

As long-time residents on the Amite River, they plan to buy a huge party barge and fix their deck over-looking the river, "because it's just not big enough!" she said.

Edmonston won the largest single-ticket Lotto jackpot since Jan. 1, 2005.  

She received $1,003,009 after federal and state income taxes were withheld.  Eagle Express Texaco on the corner of S. Sherwood Forest and Coursey Boulevards in Baton Rouge sold the winning jackpot ticket.  The store will receive a one-time bonus of $14,328 or 1 percent of the jackpot, for selling Edmonston her winning ticket. 

Over 13,000 other Lotto players also won prizes, including 21 players who won $2,068 each.

Lottery players must be at least 21 to purchase a ticket.  The Lottery encourages those who may have a gambling problem or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867.