FORT WORTH – Mum’s the word so far on the latest local lottery winner.
All that’s known for sure is that someone bought a ticket for Wednesday night’s $16 million Lotto Texas drawing at the Valero Corner Store in southwest Fort Worth, across the street from the Fort Worth Country Day School.Officials say the winner bought a Quick Pick ticket that matched the winning numbers of 8, 14, 27, 30, 47, 51.Texas Lottery Commission officials say one “potential claimant” called their offices Thursday, but no information is available on that call – or the caller – until the prize has been claimed.What is known is that only one winning ticket was sold and it was purchased at the Valero at 4150 Bryant Irvin Road in Fort Worth. And that store was busy Thursday with customers hoping some of the lottery luck would rub off on them.“The store that sold the winning ticket has had a lot of business,” said Bill Day, executive director of media relations at Valero. “We expect that to continue as more people see media reports about the ticket.”The winning ticket was for the cash value option, meaning the winner will receive $11.9 million up front, rather than payouts spread out over 25 years, according to lottery officials.Employees at the local Valero Corner Store will be winners as well.“The store selling a winning ticket receives a 1 percent retailer bonus, and it’s a Valero tradition to share some of that with store employees,” Day said. “This particular Corner Store hasn’t sold a winning ticket with this size jackpot before, but other Corner Stores have.”The store will receive a bonus of $160,000 from the lottery commission, officials said.Lottery prizes over $1 million must be claimed at the Texas Lottery Commission headquarters in Austin. The winner has 180 days to claim the payout, lottery officials say.The last winning Lotto Texas jackpot ticket sold in Tarrant County was for the May 12, 2012, drawing, when 10 Bell Helicopter co-workers claimed a $28 million lottery prize. They chose the cash option and split $21 million, each taking home $1.6 million after taxes. The Bell Helicopter winners were the first Tarrant County winners in a decade, lottery records show.The next Lotto Texas jackpot for Saturday night is $4 million, with an estimated cash value of $2.9 million.Anna M. Tinsley, (817) 390-7610 Twitter: @annatinsleyHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
