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Lottery Winner Scoops $877M After Allowing Someone To Go Ahead Of Them In Queue

Lottery Winner Scoops $877M After Allowing Someone To Go Ahead Of Them In Queue

The unnamed winner won the jackpot after kindly stepping aside and letting another customer be served first

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

One lucky shopper got a bit of (almost) instant karma after they allowed someone to go ahead of them in a queue to put on the lottery and ended up winning $877 million (£665m).

The unnamed person let another customer to go in front of them at a KC Mart in Simpsonville, South Carolina, and ended up landing the jackpot in the US Mega Millions draw in October last year, NBC News reports.

South Carolina Education Lottery Chief Operating Officer Tony Cooper, left, and KC Mart owner CJ Patel.
PA

They were the only winner of the $1.5 billion (£1.1bn) jackpot, but opted to get the prize as one lump sum, meaning they got a reduced amount - but come on, who's complaining about only winning $877m?

The South Carolina Education Lottery Commission revealed the winner's good fortune directly followed them having allowed someone else to go ahead of them in the queue to buy a ticket. They added that the lucky person has chosen to remain anonymous, meaning the commission won't even reveal whether it was a man or woman.

The commission also revealed the winner 'marvels at how every decision made that day brought [them] to the store', adding that 'a simple act of kindness led to an amazing outcome'. You can say that again.


In a statement, it said: "The South Carolina Education Lottery Commission is pleased to announce that the winner of the $1.5 billion Jackpot from the October 23, 2018, Mega Millions drawing has come forward and submitted a claim for the underlying prize.

"As allowed by South Carolina law, the winner has elected to remain anonymous and has chosen the cash option of a one-time payment of $877,784,124. This is the largest jackpot payout to a single winner in United States history."

C.J. Patel, the owner of the KC Mart, told CBS News: "It's good attention and good for the community, you know?"

And he's got good reason to be happy, because, according to the lottery's rules, the shop that sold the lucky ticket will also scoop a $50,000 (£37,900) prize. Not bad, eh?


via GIPHY

Hogan Brown, the executive director of the commission, added: "We are delighted that the winner is a South Carolinian and has come forward to claim this remarkable prize.

"We offer sincere congratulations and are very happy that one of our South Carolina retailers, KC Mart in Simpsonville, will receive $50,000 for selling the claimed winning ticket."

The ticket almost went unclaimed, with a deadline of 19 April for the winner to come forward before the prize would have been redistributed to the 44 states that take part in the Mega Millions lottery.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: US News