The owners of a small gas station in Cottonwood, California, are celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime event: their store sold the fifth-largest Mega Millions ticket in history, a staggering $1.22 billion jackpot. This incredible stroke of luck comes as the family behind the store continues to rebuild after a devastating fire three years ago.
Jaspal Singh and his family have owned the Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) for over 20 years. On Friday night, they received the life-changing news that their store was responsible for the historic win. The announcement came just over an hour after the Mega Millions drawing.
Singh’s son, Ishar Gill, who serves as the store’s Director of Operations, recounted the moment he was informed by lottery officials at 9:30 p.m. local time. Initially skeptical, he said, “I had to read it two, three times. I told my wife, and then we ran over to my dad’s room and told him, and he’s like, ‘Are you guys sure? Did we really win?’”
Excitement quickly spread through the small town of Cottonwood, which has a population of just 6,000 people. “Everybody knows about it. Everybody’s excited,” Gill added. The winning numbers for the draw were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold Mega Ball of 6.
By 11:30 p.m., Gill received confirmation from lottery officials, who informed him that representatives would visit the store on Saturday to finalize the details. Selling the winning ticket comes with its own reward: under California Lottery rules, retailers are awarded one-half of one percent of the jackpot amount, capped at $1 million. This means Singh’s family will receive a significant bonus for their role in the jackpot.
However, the identity of the lucky ticketholder remains a mystery. The store staff have no idea who purchased the winning ticket or on which day it was sold. The winner can choose between receiving the full $1.22 billion jackpot paid in installments over 29 years or a one-time lump sum of approximately $549.7 million.
The news has not only brought joy but also unsolicited advice from locals. One shopper suggested that the family should leave Cottonwood and enjoy their newfound fortune. “Way to do it, man,” Christina, a Shasta County resident, told KRCR. “I hope you live the rest of your life in peace and happiness, just ride off into the sunset, forget this Podunk town.”
For the Singh family, this moment marks a bright spot in their journey, following years of resilience and hard work. As they bask in the excitement of this historic jackpot, the small-town gas station has become a symbol of hope and good fortune.
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