News writer
A forgetful mind turned into a stroke of luck for one South Carolina man!
A Greenville man stepped out during his lunch break to purchase some Powerball tickets since the jackpot was over $1 billion recently. However, an error during that trip made him go back, and he made a life-changing decision on the second trip.
The second time was the charm
The man from Greenville said, “It was a fluke” after he recently won $1 million playing the South Carolina Lottery.
During his lunch break, the man went to the Stop-a-Minit, located at 5123 Pelham Road in Greenville, to buy some Powerball tickets. He then made his way back to work but soon realized he hadn't picked up the play slips and left them at the store.
So, his next break came, and the man went back to the store to get his play slips. Since he was there, he decided to buy a couple of scratch-off tickets. It was the right decision.
He said:
“I won $20 and $1 million on them. I was in shock. If the clerk had given me my slips, I wouldn't have had a reason to go back.”
For selling the winning ticket, the Stop-a-Minit #15 will receive a commission of $10,000.
Not quitting his job
Since he was on a work break, the man went back to work, but now, as a millionaire. He plans on keeping that up, as he told lottery officials he has no plans on quitting his job. He said:
“I told my boss to pinch me.”
With his winnings, he said he plans on saving it for his eventual retirement.
The lucky man hit the top prize on the $1,000,000 Money Maker ticket. There are still two more top prizes remaining. The odds of getting that top prize on $1,000,000 Money Maker are 1 in 1,230,000.
About the South Carolina Education Lottery
The South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL) raises funds for education programs to help all South Carolinians. They try to do this in a socially responsible manner and support responsible play initiatives in their advertising messages. For FY2023, the SCEL's advertising expenses were about 0.43% of gross sales.
The SCEL strives to also be a transparent, well-run business. Their operating expenses are among the lowest of any lottery in the country, with annual sales under $4 billion. For FY2023, here is a breakdown of their sales and expenses:
- $2.4 billion in ticket sales
- $1.6 billion in prize winnings to players
- $598.3 million transferred for education
- $169.1 million in commissions earned by retailers
While the SCEL sent $598.3 million for education in South Carolina for FY2023, they do not decide which programs are funded with that money. Since 2002, more than 2.5 million scholarships have been awarded to South Carolina students.
For the current fiscal year, more than $600 million has been appropriated for higher education opportunities, such as need-based grants and tuition assistance. Education programs for K-12 students will also receive more than $8.4 million in lottery proceeds this current fiscal year.
Enjoy playing the South Carolina Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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