By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – An Edgard man purchased the grand prize-winning ticket in the Louisiana Lottery’s $1 Million Raffle game, lottery officials said.

Megan Tanner, a spokesperson for the lottery, said Keith Miller claimed his prize early last week but declined to make any public statement.

Miller purchased the winning $10 ticket at Club Grocery and General Merchandise on River Road in Edgard. The 63-year-old store received a $10,000 selling bonus from lottery officials Friday.

“We’ve had lottery tickets in the store since Louisiana began selling them,” said Club Grocery Manager Mike Doran. “This is the first winning ticket we have had.”

Kimberly Chopin, communications manager for the lottery, said all 300,000 tickets for the $1 Million Raffle were sold at lottery outlets across the state. She said the contest began Feb. 8 and sold out on April 14. She estimated Club Grocery sold between 35 and 50 tickets.

Doran said the store and its employees celebrated last Friday afternoon with a cookout in front of the store after lottery officials arrived with the check.

“We celebrated our good fortune with our loyal community customers,” Doran said.