Marine Waits for Birthday to Claim His Lotto Jackpot

A Marine from Carlsbad waited until his birthday to come forward Friday and claim his share of last Saturday’s $6.3-million Lotto jackpot, Lotto officials said.

Gunnery Sgt. William Bartsch, stationed at Camp Pendleton, submitted his claim Friday morning and will receive the first installment of a $3,186,409 payout several weeks from now, said a California State Lottery spokesman. Bartsch was one of two people who correctly picked six winning numbers for the Feb. 24 drawing. The other winner was from Eureka.

“He didn’t want any publicity,” the spokesman said. “It’s all confidential, and he won’t release anything else.”

Bartsch, who waited nearly a week to collect his winnings, was in “full military uniform when he came in” to claim his prize, said Bruce Cherubin of the lottery.

Bon Nguyen, 28, of San Diego, also became a lottery millionaire, picking five numbers and the bonus number from Wednesday’s drawing. Nguyen’s ticket was worth $1,055,539.20.

Dee Arabo, who, along with her father, Kamil, runs the Fiesta Liquor and Deli in Carlsbad that sold the winning ticket, said Bartsch knew right after the Saturday drawing that he had won.

“Saturday night, right after the drawing on TV, he called. And then he came in to just double-check the numbers that had come out and tell us he had won,” Arabo said. “He was waiting for his birthday to claim his prize, and his birthday is today. He turned 44 today.”

Arabo said Bartsch is going through a divorce and needed time to consult with his lawyer.

“I guess he didn’t want his wife to know or something,” Arabo said, “but I’m sure she knows by now.”

After taxes, Bartsch will get $128,256 a year for 20 years.

Arabo said Bartsch had been buying $5 to $10 worth of Lotto tickets from the store, in the 2700 block of State Street, for every drawing over the last three years, always using the same numbers.

Bartsch did not say what he intended to do with the money.

Arabo’s store will receive almost $16,000 for selling the winning ticket.