PICAYUNE —
A Picayune man, Leon Poche, Jr., has won $1 million on a ticket he bought at the Riverside Travel Center in Pearl River, La.
Poche bought a “Powerball” ticket and hit five numbers. He collected $700,000 from the winning ticket after taxes, the Louisiana Lottery Commission said in a press release.
The 67-year-old Poche bought the ticket for the Dec. 8 drawing and hit five numbers but missed the powerball number. If he had hit the powerball red number, he would have won the entire prize.
Poche and his wife, Kathy, were on a Caribbean cruise when they learned they held a winning ticket.
They had no idea, however, how much it was worth until they called their daughter, Amie Hill, to verify that they had won. They then learned it was worth $1 million.
“I thought we won $400,” said Kathy.
However, her daughter verified the numbers and told them they had won $1 million.
Kathy was so excited that she told her daughter she had to get off the phone because she was being charged by the minute.
After learning how valuable the ticket was, the couple stashed it in a safety box in their cabin for safe keeping.
Poche said he and his wife almost did not go on the cruise because a week before they were to depart she became ill. But Kathy refused to miss the cruise and they went after all.
“If we had hit the whole powerball jackpot, I would have flown home from one of the ports,” said Poche.
After federal and state taxes were withheld, Poche received $700,000.
He said he was going to use the money to help his four children.
“I have always wanted to help them,” he said.
Poche collected his prize at lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge, La.
Riverside Travel Center will receive a one-time bonus of $10,000 for selling the winning ticket.
Lottery ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age. Draw-style game tickets must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, Louisiana lottery officials said.
The Picayune Item has tried unsuccessfully to reach Leon Poche, Jr., for a comment.
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Picayune man wins $1 million in lottery drawing
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