‘I didn’t believe it’: Smith County convenience store sells million-dollar lottery ticket

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – A Smith County convenience store is getting attention after a scratch off ticket sold there turned into a million-dollar winner.

A Tyler resident hit a $1,000,000 Texas Lottery scratch off prize at Tyler Travel Center off Loop 323. Store owner Hugo Fernandez said he didn’t believe it at first.

“I was currently at the bank, and I just got a phone call. Like, hey, somebody won a million dollars, and I didn’t believe it, but I was like, there’s no way. So, I had to come see myself, and turns out they did,” Fernandez said.

The winning ticket was a twenty dollar Monaco Millionaire scratch off purchased at the store. Fernandez said the anonymous winner came in person to verify the ticket and the moment quickly turned emotional.

“They were able to come in person and actually verify that he had the winning ticket. And, I mean, it was pretty, not intense, but I guess tears of joy for them. And, I mean, I was really happy that they won it at our store. And then, I mean, they’re a million dollars richer,” Fernandez said.

Customers flock to store after win

Fernandez said once word got out, more customers started looking for the same ticket that changed someone’s life.

“My regulars that usually come in, they are curious and they really want to know who won the million dollar ticket and then which ticket it was. We can tell them what ticket it was and whatnot but they do think that they have a better chance of winning now since we did just give the million dollar ticket,” Fernandez said.

New customers have also started coming to the store.

“For new customers coming in, they’re like, hey, are you guys the ones that give the million dollar ticket? I’m like, yes ma’am, or yes sir, we are. So, they’re like, okay, let me get a ticket of this number or other numbers,” Fernandez said.

Before the win, Fernandez said the Monaco Millionaire ticket sold two to five tickets a day. After the win, sales increased.

“Once they started finding out it was this ticket that won the million dollars, oh, let me get two of these or three of these and started selling them a lot more,” Fernandez said.

Win comes early for new owner

Fernandez said the impact is still being felt.

“It’s life-changing, really. If they have kids, they don’t have to worry about paying for college, house, car. I mean, a million dollars might not seem like much, but it does help a lot in this time of day as well,” Fernandez said.

For Fernandez, who has owned the store less than six months, the moment still doesn’t feel real.

“Getting this store was a journey but thinking that I would sell a million dollar ticket this soon into working here, no. Maybe down the line a few years or a few more months but this early stage, no, I didn’t think it was possible,” Fernandez said. “I guess anything really is possible.”

The store receives a percentage of the winnings. Fernandez said the store has about 30 to 40 different tickets right now and plans to expand.

“We are expecting to get more quantity and stuff like that. That way, they have more variation of different tickets and amounts,” Fernandez said.