(AUSTIN) – Last month, a new Texas Lottery® game came to the Quick Stop Grocery, located at 1216 N. 1st St. in Timpson. It was the $1 Million Double Action scratch-off ticket, and local resident Leonard Hughes quickly became a fan.
“I’ve been buying it regularly,” said Hughes. “I’ve won $20 here and $30 there."
Then last Saturday his grandson made a strange prediction.
According to Hughes, “He crawled up in my lap and said, ‘You’re going to win a million dollars in the lottery.’ He doesn’t know about the lottery, but he knew I was going to win.”
Sure enough, Hughes scratched his way to the $1 million top prize on the $20 ticket, although he wasn’t completely convinced he’d won.
“I scratched the ticket there at the store, but I couldn’t believe it,” Hughes explained. “Then I asked them to scan it, and it said to go to the claim center. That’s when I told them I might have won $1 million.”
Hughes decided to have a little fun in breaking the news to his wife. He bought her a car recently but then damaged it when his lawnmower kicked up a rock.
“I told her she could go ahead and get that dent fixed on her car,” said Hughes. “She asked why, and I told her I’d just won the lottery.”
Of course, Hughes has other plans as well. He’s retired from the United Parcel Service and says he doesn’t need much money for himself. Instead, he plans to use the winnings to help out his family, including the grandson who predicted this lucky day.
“Many of our winners mention family as a top priority, and we applaud that,” said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Anthony J. Sadberry. “Our winners often speak about the satisfaction they get from putting their good fortune to good use.”
Hughes claimed the second of four top prizes in the $1 Million Double Action game, which was introduced in early August. Overall odds of winning any prize are one in 2.88, including break-even prizes.
The Quick Stop Grocery also came out on top. For selling the winning ticket, the store is eligible for a $10,000 retailer bonus.
Friday’s Mega Millions® jackpot is worth an estimated $12 million. Saturday’s Lotto Texas® jackpot is worth an estimated $8 million.
