4/24/2008 - 4:59 PM

El Dorado Resident Claims a $1.6 Million Lotto Jackpot from the April 19 drawing.

Patrick Stamper is pictured with Louisiana Lottery President Rose Hudson after claiming the $1,622,375 Lotto jackpot from the April 19 drawing.

While Patrick Stamper of El Dorado, Ark. read his morning paper, he glanced over the Louisiana Lottery winning numbers from the April 19 drawing like he routinely does after every drawing. That's when he discovered his Lotto ticket matched all six of the numbers drawn to win the $1.6 million jackpot, which he claimed at Lottery headquarters.

"I kept looking at each number -- five times," he shared. "I even went by my neighbor's home and they thought I was joking."

Stamper, age 59, held the sole winning ticket for the $1,622,375 Lotto jackpot from the April 19 drawing and received $1,135,662.82 after state and federal tax withholdings.

Stamper purchased his winning ticket at Harde' Mart #227 on S. Main Street in Junction City. The retailer will receive a one-time bonus of $16,223, or one percent of the jackpot prize, for selling Stamper his winning ticket.

The winning numbers for the April 19 Lotto drawing were 1-9-18-27-30-40. The jackpot had been growing since last being won on Jan. 12 by two tickets purchased in Natchitoches and Campti. The April 19 jackpot was the largest since the Dec. 13, 2006, drawing in which a Baton Rouge player won $2.1 million.

Stamper said he plans to continue playing the Louisiana Lottery and will purchase a home with his winnings.

Ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age. The Lottery encourages anyone who may have a gambling problem or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem to call toll free 1-877-770-7867.