A $475,000 Surprise for Lucky Lotto Player from Avondale

When Cecilia M. Randel began screaming after returning home from work on Monday, her husband Bobby immediately figured he was to blame for the outburst. Instead, he joined her in surprise – Cecilia held the sole winning ticket of the $475,000 Louisiana Lottery Lotto jackpot from the Saturday, Nov. 14 drawing.

“We usually just keep a stack of tickets by the computer and check them every so often before they expire,” explained the 63-year-old Randel who said she plays Lotto regularly. “But a friend at work told me the jackpot had been won in Avondale over the weekend, so I checked my numbers as soon as I got home.”

Randel purchased her winning ticket at RaceTrac #645 on Highway 90 in Avondale, just a few minutes from her house. The store received a one-time selling bonus of $4,750, which is 1 percent of the jackpot prize.

She claimed the jackpot prize with her husband and daughter at Lottery headquarters on Tuesday and received $332,500 after federal and state tax withholdings.

Lottery 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. More information about other Lotto winners can be found on the Lottery’s website, www.louisianalottery.com