A Colleton resident received an early Christmas gift on Friday Dec. 4 when he won $250,000 from a lottery ticket purchased at the Stop N Go.
On Saturday Dec. 5, another customer won over $20,000. A little later, someone else won $1,700. Last year, a customer won $130,000 from the same store located at 300 North Jefferies Blvd.
“I am not lucky,” said Sai Patel, store manager. “But maybe the store is lucky. I know that many of my customers certainly are,” added Patel smiling.
The day was like any other on Friday afternoon as people got off work, came into the store to buy snacks, drinks, cigarettes, get gas, and purchase lottery tickets. Customer Michael Shearouse got in line with his purchases, along with eight or nine other customers. The man in front of Shearouse handed his lottery ticket to the cashier and asked her, “Please tell me I won something? Am I reading this right?”
The cashier looked shocked and shouted, “You won $250,000!” There were only two stores in S.C. that had winning tickets, and the Stop N Go was one of them.
According to Shearouse, there was a little celebration by everyone in the store who was truly happy for the winner.
“This guy in front of me was in line, and after handing in his lottery ticket the cashier started yelling, ‘You won! You won $250,000!’ I’ve never experienced anything like it. I was really happy for the guy,” said Shearouse. “I asked him for a fist bump … I said I really needed it for luck,” he laughed.
Patel isn’t sure why his store has been so blessed with winning tickets, but he is certainly happy. “I like my customers, and many of them are here very often buying tickets. I am glad some of them are winning,” he said as he paid out $50 for another winning ticket for a customer. The customer turned around and then spent some of his winnings buying things in the store. Patel just smiled.
Meanwhile, on Friday Dec. 4 a lady from Cottageville went into a convenience store in Summerville for a drink. She purchased a lottery ticket while there and also found herself to be the winner of $250,000. It seems as though Colleton County has been blessed with winning tickets more than any other county.
In Patel’s opinion, the Stop N Go seems to have a better than average winning streak going. This makes local customers hopeful and happy, and keeps Patel busy.
