Shenango Township convenience store owner sold million dollar lottery ticket

A winning $1 million Mega Millions lottery ticket sold at a Shenango Township convenience store was one number away from the $1.58 billion prize.

The ticket was sold at the Zain Mini Mart at 2012 E. Washington St. The ticket was sold for the drawing on Tuesday, in which the winning ticket got the numbers for the five white balls drawn, 13-19-20-32-33, but not the yellow Mega Ball, which was 14.  

Store owner Hamzeh Alfasatleh said his store is a “lucky spot,” as this is the second time it has sold a winning major lottery ticket. A $450,000 ticket was sold on April 29, 2017.

“This is the biggest jackpot we ever sold,” Alfasatleh said. “We’re excited for the winner.”  

The winner will not be unveiled until the owner of the winning ticket claims the prize, in which they have a year to do so. The store will receive a $5,000 selling bonus.

Alfasatleh said he will take $1,000 of that $5,000 to use as a second-chance raffle this month.

The winning $1.58 billion ticket was sold Tuesday in Florida, with the winner expected to take home $783.3 million in cash.

The jackpot had been ongoing since April 18.

Alfasatleh said only four $1 million tickets were sold across the country on Tuesday, with his store being one of the four and the only one in Pennsylvania.

His family took over ownership of the store nine years ago, with the store, which is connected to a Valero gas station, named after his son, who was an infant when the first ticket was sold in 2017.