(AUSTIN) – The classic day of misfortune, March 15, known as the Ides of March, proved to be a boon for Robert Lee Charles of Runge. He won $50,000, the top prize in Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, from the Texas Lottery®.

“March 15 was my lucky day,” Charles said. “I don’t play very often, but I was at Jimbo’s and I thought I’d take a chance on this ticket. All I did was point at it.”

Charles took his ticket home, where he discovered his good fortune.

“I slept with the ticket in my hand that night,” he said. “When I tossed and turned, and I did that a lot, I would look at the ticket and say, ‘$50,000.’”

Charles said he’ll use his prize to get his boat out of the repair shop.

“I’m going to pick it up this week,” he said. “I’ll probably save the rest of the prize money for a rainy day. Pretty soon, though, I’ll be out on the boat in Port Lavaca or Port O’Connor.”

The Runge resident got out of bed early Monday to head to the Texas Lottery® Claim Center in Victoria, an hour away from his hometown.

“I never thought I would win big, $40 is the most I’ve ever won,” Charles said. “I took donuts to work at the Karnes County Road and Bridge Department for everybody to celebrate.”

“Mr. Charles bought his ticket at a store that is famous in South Texas for having sold numerous top and significant-prize tickets in the past,” said Texas Lottery Commission Deputy Executive Director Gary Grief.

“Jimbo’s Drive Inn in Kenedy has sold at least two other $50,000 top-prize tickets before this one, as well as numerous others with prizes ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.”

The store is located at 809 West Main in Kenedy.

Tonight’s Mega Millions® jackpot is worth an estimated $12 million. Wednesday’s Lotto Texas® jackpot is worth an estimated $4 million.