Mega Millions: San Francisco Safeway employee wins $1.9 million; jackpot soars to $900 million

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A bakery clerk at the San Francisco Safeway on Marina Boulevard bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket with 5 of the 6 winning numbers. The ticket is worth $1.9 million.

The store manager says the employee didn't know he had the (almost) winning ticket until a co-worker looked at it this morning. He then took it to customer service to run it through the system which confirmed he had won.

"All the employees gathered to take photos of him and congratulate him. Then we snuck him out the back door. He didn't want to speak to the press. He was extremely nervous and he's shy, he didn't want to do it," said manager Lea Maxwell.

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The winning appeared to help sales at this store. People were headed in this morning to buy tickets for the next jackpot after hearing this store was lucky.

"I decided to come here because it is possible. The baker won so - I can win," said Denise Wells of San Francisco who bought three tickets for the next drawing. That jackpot will be worth at least $900 million.

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Maxwell said the bakery clerk is a man in his 20's. She didn't know much more about him but said he is a hard worker and a great guy. She doesn't know if he picked the number or let the computer select them.

She doesn't know if he will show up to work tomorrow.

"If he shows up for work tomorrow I am not gonna tell you guys," she said, vowing to protect his privacy.

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