Krotz Springs man hits $1 million ticket
LAFAYETTE — A 47-year-old Krotz Springs man has claimed a $1 million Powerball prize, the Louisiana Lottery Corp. announced Friday.
David Stelly, a supervisor at the Baton Rouge ExxonMobil refinery, said he has been a weekly Powerball player for about as long as the game has been offered in the state.
“I think the most I’ve won was $50,” he said. “It’s always little things here and there.”
Stelly bought the winning ticket for the Sept. 29 drawing at Hebert’s Boudin & Cracklins in Opelousas, where he and his father-in-law regularly stop during weekend motorcycle jaunts.
“We always head to that store,” he said.
Stelly received $700,000 after state and federal taxes were withheld, according to the Louisiana Lottery Corp.
Much of the money will be set aside in a college fund for his twin 7-year-old girls and used to help out an older son and daughter, he said.
Stelly said he plans to keep his job at the refinery.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to walk away,” he said chuckling.
Stelly said he has yet to hear from any long lost friends or relatives looking for help.
“I’m sure they’re coming, but fortunately, whenever they do, my advice will be to play to the lottery,” he said.
Stelly said he had no special trick for choosing Powerball numbers, always relying on Quick Pick to randomly generate his ticket.
His winning numbers were 14-18-28-29-57.
Stelly’s winning ticket from the Opelousas store comes just a few weeks after Guidry’s Food Store in nearby Arnaudville sold a winning ticket for a $1 million Powerball prize in the Aug. 1 drawing.
The winner of that prize was Ricky LeGrange of Arnaudville.