Winning Mega Millions ticket sold at new self-service machine
Someone who purchased a Mega Millions lotto ticket at a North Texas store is $101 million richer as the state claimed its first jackpot winner in the multistate game.
One ticket sold in Carrollton matched all the winning numbers from Friday night's drawing: 8, 10, 17, 24 and 39. The Mega Ball number was 52.
"We've been eagerly waiting for this day," said Reagan Greer, Texas Lottery Commission executive director. "I hope the person or persons holding this winning ticket know what they've got."
At Sack 'n Save No. 204, five Texas Lottery Commission signs boasted, "We sold a winning Mega Millions ticket here."
Lottery officials said the store receives a $1 million bonus for selling the grand prize winner in Friday's game.
Store clerks eagerly awaited news of the new winner.
"He or she bought it out of a new self-serve lotto machine," an assistant manager told The Dallas Morning News in Sunday's editions. "That's all we know at this point."
It's the second time the Carrollton store has had a big winner. In March 1994, store clerks sold one of five winning Texas Lotto tickets for a $77 million jackpot.
In Friday's game, 19 players besides the jackpot winner matched all five numbers - but not the Mega Ball number. Those winners, who included a Balch Springs ticket holder in suburban Dallas, will collect second-place prizes of $175,000 each.
Also, 63 players matched four numbers, plus the Mega Ball number - good for third prizes of $5,000 each.
The grand prize winner had not contacted lottery officials as of Sunday morning.
Because Friday's Megaplier was four, that multiplies one of the 2nd-tier prizes to $700,000. The Megaplier feature is exclusive to Texas.
A total of 758,680 tickets won prizes ranging from $2 all the way up to the jackpot.
The state joined the Mega Millions multistate lottery in December and numerous lower-tier winners have claimed prizes before the grand prize was announced.
I like the idea of buying your tickets at a self-service machine 'cause it doesn't say "good luck to you and remember me if you win". The amount you spend on lotteries is more private too.
Wish Wisconsin had these "self-service" machines. It seems more convinient and private. Wisconsin does have these "self-check" machines (at certain locations) that tell you if your ticket is a winner.
good point. several times have i seen people throw down hundreds of dollars on lottery tickets, and just about each time i can remember how much people spent.
Quote:Originally posted by RJOh on October 04, 2004
I like the idea of buying your tickets at a self-service machine 'cause it doesn't say "good luck to you and remember me if you win". The amount you spend on lotteries is more private too.
RJOh
You are so right. Sometimes it's nice to have some banter, but most of the time I don't want to hear any questions about how many tiuckets I'm buying, why I'm buying, who I'm buying for, comparisons to my last buy, etc., etc. That's why I like playing online.
They are nice. We have them here in Oregon at some stores. It's generally one or the other. Either the customer counter has the big red machine of goodness or there is a self service terminal. The downside of them is all the first timers trying to figure the thing out when the jacpot gets high. It's bad enough when a big pool player is trying to stuff 80 bucks into the thing, but the ones stareing blankly at the machine are the worst. Generally I step in and tell them how to work it, otherwise I could be there all day waiting for them to figure it out on their own. I mean really. The buttons you need to pick from LIGHT UP when it's time to push them. How hard can it be?
They better have chosen CASH, since TX requires the choice when you play.
I like the idea of buying your tickets at a self-service machine 'cause it doesn't say "good luck to you and remember me if you win". The amount you spend on lotteries is more private too.
RJOh
Wish Wisconsin had these "self-service" machines. It seems more convinient and private. Wisconsin does have these "self-check" machines (at certain locations) that tell you if your ticket is a winner.
good point. several times have i seen people throw down hundreds of dollars on lottery tickets, and just about each time i can remember how much people spent.
They are nice. We have them here in Oregon at some stores. It's generally one or the other. Either the customer counter has the big red machine of goodness or there is a self service terminal. The downside of them is all the first timers trying to figure the thing out when the jacpot gets high. It's bad enough when a big pool player is trying to stuff 80 bucks into the thing, but the ones stareing blankly at the machine are the worst. Generally I step in and tell them how to work it, otherwise I could be there all day waiting for them to figure it out on their own. I mean really. The buttons you need to pick from LIGHT UP when it's time to push them. How hard can it be?
when i found out it was in TX;
Did he Megaply? (a waste of $1)