Mililani's Elmer Nii, who plays The Advertiser's Pigskin Picks every week, submitted eight ballots last week, and the last one turned out to be a winner.

Nii's entry was picked from among the 15-0 ballots for the top prize of a trip for two to Las Vegas and $500 in the final week of Pigskin Picks.

"On the eighth (entry) I tried all the underdogs, against what the Pigskin Picks (panel of pickers) said," Nii said.

Nii, 70, said the most difficult pick was the game between Tennessee and Indianapolis, which the underdog Titans won, 16-10.

"I was saying 'Hurry up and end the game,' (when the Titans were leading) 16-10," he said.

Nii knew he had a perfect ballot, and was hopeful his entry would be chosen.

"I told my wife it's my second perfect paper of the year, maybe one-in-a-million chance," he said. "I was really surprised when I got the call."

His first call was to his brother and sister-in-law, who helps collect blank ballots for him from around the neighborhood.

Nii said he'll take his wife of 42 years, Thelma, on his winning trip. They are frequent visitors to Las Vegas, including four times last year. They already had plans for three trips this year.

Nii retired from the Army as a chief warrant officer in aviation (helicopter) maintenance in 1979, and from O'ahu Sugar as a factory manager in 1995.

KSSK Radio's Michael W. Perry and Larry Price were Pigskin Picks panel winners this year.

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