GREENVILLE, S.C. — A Greenville, South Carolina man living at a rescue mission after falling on hard times said he now has a chance at a new home after winning $200,000.
South Carolina Education Lottery officials said the man bought a $10 scratch-off ticket that revealed he was a winner. The man told lottery officials he has lived in Greenville his entire life and used to work construction jobs but after hard times hit, he's been living at a rescue mission.
He bought the winning ticket at Simons Liquors Inc. on West Washington Street and said he jumped, screamed and smiled when he saw the winning numbers. His brother drove him to Columbia on Thursday morning to collect his prize.
"To see a person you know, he gets $200,000 but he doesn't have a penny in his pocket, I couldn't believe he won $200,000," said Simon Sfeir.
Sfeir is the store owner and said he's never seen anyone win a $200,000 ticket. There are two top prizes remaining in The Color of Money game. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 440,000. For selling the claimed ticket, Simons Liquors received a commission of $2,000.
Thanks to rdgrnr for the tip.
He is one lucky man. If I was living in a shelter I don't think I'd buy a $10 scratch ticket.
Even now that I have a job I don't buy many $10 in a year. Thats a big mac meal
Congratulations man!
His BROTHER drove him to Columbia on Thursday morning to collect his prize.
Should I even go there on a Sunday morning?
HOMELESS and buying $10 scratch offs?
Leave that alone too?
Okay Okay! Congrats on your winnings.
Because he was homeless and in despair, his mindset was telling him to roll the dice for a miracle.
I could put myself in his shoes, and would have done the same thing. Although his $10, was the equivalent of spending $500 for most of us.
God truly blessed him. Hoping this money will jump-start his life again.
Now, this is the sort of news I really, really enjoy!! Someone that needs and deserves the money for another good shot at a new beginning! This actually makes my day.
L.L.
There probably are some technicalities which we aren't fully aware of. Like whether he did some odd jobs to earn the money he played with, or, if he accumulated it from passers by giving it to him. Either way, he's better off and I'm sure that anyone that knows him is pretty happy for him.
Hell, I don't even know him and I'm hoping for a follow up story.
L.L.
I guess he was willing to take the risk.
He was in the rIght place at the rIght time and bought the rIght ticket. Ridge has a theory for such occurences. I will let him share it if he chooses to comment on this thread - lol!
When it comes to any scratch game or jackpot game, I'll take the "right place~right time~right ticket" theory over any proposed method...that method has NEVER LOST.
L.L.
He actually gave Todd the tip on this story.
I've always been at the right place, at the right time, just not the right ticket.
Just seeing it now that you pointed that fact out. My eyesight isn't what it used to be.
Credits always get the extra fine print. Understandable.
"Sfeir is the store owner and said he's never seen anyone win a $200,000 ticket."
That's true of most owners of stores that sell lottery tickets. Fact is most never expect to see anyone win a $100 ticket is my impression since they don't leave enough in the cash registers to pay out that amount in case someone ever wins more than a couple of bucks.
I matched 4of6 in Classic Lotto for $70 the other day and had to wait until the clerk sold enough gas to pay me. Since most of her customers used credit cards, it took a few minutes. Next time I'll just wait till I need a fill-up and get a tank of gas instead.
Congratulations....Glad someone who needed the money won!
I think they make at least $100. a day standing at intersections asking for money.