Winner's dream to visit Minnesota Lottery office finally realised with $21.6 million prize
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Jeffrey Love and partner Vickie with the Minnesota Lottery building in the background. PHOTO: Minnesota Lottery/composite
Jeffrey Love had long dreamed of visiting the lottery office in Roseville to claim a big prize.
“I drive by the lottery office every day on my way to work and always say, ‘One day … one day.’”
And his wish was granted yesterday, along with a $21.6 million jackpot from the Lotto America game.
The Elk River resident had the ticket in his car glovebox since last week, and was on his way to work when he stopped to check his numbers.
Minnesota Lottery Executive Director Adam Prock outside Holiday Stationstore #395, located at 14075 Ramsey Blvd. in Ramsey, which sold the winning ticket.
The scanner message instructed him to contact the Minnesota Lottery to claim the prize. “I thought, ‘Okay, this is big. Let me check the numbers on my phone.’
“When I compared the winning numbers to my ticket, they matched exactly. I called Vickie [his wife] and said, ‘We have a situation.’”
“I didn’t trust my eyes, I wanted to have Vickie look at it,” said Love.
After seeing the ticket and confirming the winning numbers “8 or 10 times,” Vickie Love told her employer that she needed the day off.
He bought the winning Lotto America ticket in Ramsey, a town located about 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
Jeffrey called into work and told them he would “be a little late.” But it wasn’t long before he called back and let them know that he “wouldn’t be in at all today.”
Love’s ticket matched all five winning numbers, plus the Star Ball drawn on July 10 (16 – 22 – 32 – 36 – 42 Star Ball – 8) to win the jackpot.
A Holiday Stationstore spokesman said their lottery sales were up as a result of the win at his store. VIDEO: KARE 11
This is not the first big win for this lucky store. In addition to this $21.6 million win, this store has sold a $1 million winning Minnesota Millionaire Raffle ticket and two $50,000 winning scratch tickets.
The Lotto America jackpot has been won three times since the game began on Nov. 12, 2017. This is Minnesota’s second Lotto America jackpot win.
The Kujava family of Badger shared a $22.8 million jackpot won on March 14, 2018. The Kujava’s winning ticket was purchased at Holiday Stationstore #193, located at 503 – 3rd St. N.W. in Roseau.
