Winning Mega Millions lottery ticket sold in San Jose, officials say
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Someone in the Bay Area is a lot richer - we're talking millions of dollars richer.
A winning Mega Millions lottery ticket was sold at a San Jose convenience store.
"I was just excited the winner was our customer," said clerk Bez Bahdani.
Bahdani is thrilled to know he might have sold the winning Mega Millions ticket worth a whopping $247 Million dollars, at the 7-Eleven store on Kooser Road in San Jose.
A copy of the winning ticket's receipt is on display near the lotto machine. The winning numbers are: 9-22-26-41-44, mega number 19. The total $494 Million dollar jackpot will be split with another winner in Florida.
It's the 11th-largest jackpot in the game's history.
"I screamed hard for five minutes. We were so excited," said 7-Eleven owner Hamideh Naderi.
Naderi told us by phone that she and her family have owned the 7-Eleven since 1987, after immigrating from Iran. She says there have been winning tickets sold here before but nothing like this.
"I hope the money will be great for that person and that person will do great things with the money," Naderi said.
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"I won $2 once but to win nearly $250 million is amazing here in San Jose," said customer Terry Haggin.
The store also gets a $1 million bonus.
Longtime customer Rex Anderson is thrilled for the winner and the store owners.
"I'm so happy for them. I've known them for years. This family is open, helpful," Anderson said.
Naderi says that she'll donate some of the bonus money to her own community.
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"I would donate it to Pioneer High School," she said.
The California Lottery says the lucky customer has yet to come forward to present the winning ticket.
"They could put it in the mail but with a prize this big they'd probably walk into a lottery office and fill out paperwork. They have up to a year, so we may not know for a while who this lucky person is," said California Lottery Spokesperson, Carolyn Becker.
This store often sells 800 to 900 lotto tickets per day and many are hoping lightning strikes twice.
"I don't mind getting another jackpot," Naderi said.
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