The Houston metro area gas station that sold the $810 million Mega Millions ticket on Tuesday learned about their store’s luck by reading the news and a late-night phone call.
Murphy USA 8848 in Sugar Land was preparing to close for the night when the night-shift employees got a call around the time the state lottery released details of the jackpot-winning ticket and the business that sold it.
“We had one of our closers get a call,” Murphy USA District Manager Jonathan Amaya told Houston Public Media. “And we started reading articles online and it was our store. It is the craziest thing.”
The lottery player had purchased the ticket at the Murphy Express on at 7520 Highway 90A in Sugar Land and matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday night.
The lucky numbers were 1, 2, 16, 24, 66 and the gold Mega ball 6.
“We’re just excited,” Amaya said. “Hopefully we get to meet the customer that won the winning ticket, and we’re really excited for the community as well as this location. It’s a big win.”
Lottery players who strike it big in Texas can remain anonymous if their winnings are larger than $1 million.
Tuesday’s winner has yet to claim their prize, but elected to receive the $409.3 million one-time lump sum after choosing the cash value option at purchase, the Texas Lottery said.
The business sits across the street from Constellation Field, the home ballpark for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys — the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros and 21 miles southwest of downtown Houston.
Because it sold the winning ticket, Murphy USA is eligible to receive a $1 million retailer prize.
“I want you to give your employees a raise,” Darryl Roquemore, a regular at the gas station, told the outlet.
“I checked all my tickets when I got up this morning because I play here,” he added. “And they’re very nice at this store, they’re very polite to everybody.”
Ryan Mindell, the executive director of the Texas Lottery gave the unidentified winner several tips before cashing in their ticket.
“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulate them in person,” Mindell said. “If you’re the lucky holder of the winning ticket, be sure to sign it, secure it in a safe place, consult financial and legal advisors and then contact the Texas Lottery before making your way to Austin to claim the prize.”
It was the seventh-largest jackpot ever won in Mega Millions history, and the largest lottery prize by a Texas lottery player.
Texas wasn’t the only state that saw million-dollar winners from Tuesday’s drawing.
Four other lucky players — from New York, California, Florida and Washington state — matched the five white balls to secure a $1 million prize.
The ticketholder in New York purchased the lucky slip from a Gulf Express gas station in New Windsor, 15 miles north of West Point.
