Millions of dollars were awaiting an anonymous lotto ticket holder Thursday as the owners of Valencia Liquor made preparations to greet California's latest midweek SuperLotto Plus winner.
As of late afternoon, a Quick Pick holder with the numbers 2, 9, 27, 30, 45 and mega-number 13, won the $10 million prize but had yet to make a claim at the Newhall liquor store, where two other big winners claimed some serious cash in the past.
"It's a good possibility that that person is working and hasn't checked the numbers," said store manager Jae Hahn. "I buy a ticket every Friday, and work all day Saturday, and I don't usually see the numbers until Sunday. It might be the same thing with this person."
Posters taped along the windows and doors of the store read: "Millions Made Here!" in preparation for the lucky winner.
In September, a Fantasy Five player won $65,000 from a ticket bought there. And in April 1998, Leonardo Hernandez was one of three who bought the winning tickets for a $104 million jackpot, making his share worth nearly $34.7 million.
The winner of Wednesday's drawing has opted for 26 graduated annual payments, according to lottery officials. He or she will receive $250,000 the first year, and $510,000 in the final year, before federal withholding, officials said.
Valencia Liquor will receive a $50,000 bonus or a half-percent of the jackpot for selling the winning ticket.
Valencia Liquor is now known as a "Lucky Retailer" in the California Lotto world. It is the 66th out of its 18,000-store network to have sold two or more winning jackpot tickets, officials said. It has sold nearly $7.5 million worth of tickets and Scratchers since 1993, according to the Lottery Commission.
Hahn said he believes his parents carry some sort of luck. Another liquor store they own in Sylmar also claimed a winner.
"My father is the lucky one, not me," he said. "Or maybe it's my mother."
The next drawing -- for a $7 million jackpot -- will take place Saturday night.
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