Store Owner Who Sold $1.53 Billion Mega Millions Ticket Has Surprise For His Staff

KC Mart owner CJ Patel will receive $50,000 commission from selling Mega Millions jackpot ticket. PHOTO: David Travis Bland, The State

The owner of a South Carolina convenience store will share part of the $50,000 bonus from the Mega Millions $1.537 Billion* jackpot with his four employees.

CJ Patel told the Daily Mail that he has no idea who bought the winning ticket, but over the last few days he had a steady stream of customers as the jackpot grew.

A press conference with SC Education Lottery’s COO Tony Cooper (left) and CJ Patel outside his store in Simpsonville.

'I hope he (the winner) will keep coming in,' Patel said with a broad smile. 'He'd be good for the business.' 

Patel has owned the KC Mart in Simpsonville for more than three years. Until now, the biggest winner had been a $250,000 ticket about a year ago.

CJ Patel in his store after the win. PHOTO: Greenville News

Lottery officials announced by 11 a.m. Wednesday that the winner had bought the ticket at Patel's store. The winner's identity remained unknown to officials late Wednesday.

*The Mega Millions jackpot of the advertised $1.6 billion was confirmed as $1.537 billion.

'The final total (of $1.537B) was less than the $1.6 billion estimate,' confirmed Carol Gentry, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Lottery, which leads a consortium of state lotteries participating in the Mega Millions jackpot.

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