ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis man got a Valentine's Day surprise when realized he won a $1 million Powerball jackpot.
Stephen Piechocinski is a frequent Powerball player. Every morning, he buys a ticket at his local convenience store on his way to work, according to a press release.
One morning, there was a change in his normal commute so he couldn’t buy a ticket. Later that day, he went to Wallis Petroleum in Maplewood, filled up his tank and bought a Powerball ticket.
It wasn’t until Valentine’s Day that he checked his ticket and realized it matched all five white-ball numbers in the Feb. 12 Powerball drawing.
He said he loved surprising his family with the big news on Valentine’s Day and said he plans to use the money to retire early.
Piechocinski’s ticket marks the second time a Missouri Lottery player has won the $1 million “Match 5” prize so far in 2020.
In the most recent fiscal year, players in St. Louis County won more than $168.9 million in Missouri Lottery prizes, according to the release.
