Huge lottery win leaves SC store owner restless. ‘I couldn’t sleep that night’
A lottery player won a huge prize — leaving a store owner restless.
“I couldn’t sleep that night,” Paul Patel told the South Carolina Education Lottery.
It turns out, a ticket sold at Patel’s store was worth $2 million. The winner was equally thrilled about the lucky moment in Greenville.
“I happened to be working in the area and stopped to get gas,” said the millionaire, who wasn’t identified in a July 24 news release.
The man — who lives near Charlotte, North Carolina — won big on a work trip. While at a Raceway gas station and convenience store, he spent $20 on a scratch-off ticket and broke even.
The lottery player used the money to buy another ticket, which was worth much more. It beat 1-in-320,000 odds to score one of the top prizes in the 200X game.
“I had to calm down,” the winner said. “I still (had) to go back to work.”
The man kept more than $1.3 million after taxes, lottery spokesperson Holli Armstrong told McClatchy News via email. Now, he may put his winnings toward a new house.
For selling the winning ticket, Patel’s store got $20,000 as a commission. He shared some of the money with his workers and hopes to use the rest to fix up his store, according to lottery officials.
It’s not the first time someone has gotten richer while traveling for work. A South Carolina truck driver bought a life-changing ticket while stopping in North Carolina, McClatchy News reported in January.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Huge lottery win leaves SC store owner restless. ‘I couldn’t sleep that night’."
