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The California store that sold the $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot winning ticket did so three years after experiencing a devastating tragedy, KRCR reports.
The Sunshine Food and Gas store at the Circle K gas station in Cottonwood, California, owned by Jaspal Singh and his family was reward $1 million for selling the ticket in adherence with California Lottery rules. The family's reward came three years after a fire brook out and destroyed their store's entire structure, which forced them to close business for nearly two years before reopening in March 2023.
“To our amazing community—thank you for supporting us and making us part of your daily lives. Whether it’s for gas, snacks, or just a friendly hello, you all mean the world to us,” the store wrote on its Facebook account after being notified about selling the winning ticket. "Here’s to dreams coming true, and to the wonderful people who make Cottonwood so special."
Singh has owned the store for two decades and his son, Ishar Gill, serves as director of operations.
“I had to read it two, three times,” Gill told KRCR while standing alongside his father.. “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?’"
“Everybody knows about it. Everybody’s excited," he added.
The ticket sold at the California store matched all five white balls -- 3, 7, 37, 49 and 55 -- and the No. 6 gold ball to win the $1.22 billion drawing, which was the ninth-largest drawing in U.S. lottery history and the fifth-largest in Mega Millions history.