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Kirksville Man Claims $1.2 Million Lotto Jackpot

A paintball field owner from Kirksville came forward to claim the Oct. 4 Missouri Lotto jackpot worth $1.2 million.  Jim Koch, 63, of Kirksville, said he plans to use his windfall to pay off his paintball field and help his son purchase a home. 

Koch, who used Quick Pick for his numbers, purchased his ticket from Ice House, 1312 S. Baltimore St. in Kirksville.  The winning numbers were:  8, 16, 19, 29, 37 and 38.

"I looked on the Lottery’s Web site for the winning numbers," said Koch.  "At first I thought I only won a free ticket, which would’ve been great."

As fate would have it, Koch wound up with more than a free ticket. 

"I called my son into the room and asked him to check the numbers, because I couldn’t believe that I really won the Lottery," said Koch.

Koch, his son, Dan, and his wife, Carol, all checked the numbers multiple times to confirm that they had a winning ticket.  Koch’s wife explained that she had a feeling they’d win the Lottery for quite some time.

"I kept having these dreams about winning $8 million in the Lottery," said (Carol) Koch with a laugh.  "We feel really blessed, and who knows, we still might win $8 million someday."

To date, 261 tickets worth $1 million or more have been sold since Missouri Lottery sales started in January 1986; 180 of those tickets were Lotto jackpot prizes.