For second time in a few days, Columbia store sells six-digit winning lottery ticket
The odds of lightning striking twice in the same spot are 1-in-9 million.
Two Midlands residents proved it was possible, in a unique way, when they each bought six-figure winning lottery jackpots from the same Columbia convenience store.
In the span of a few days in late December, two massive windfalls from the South Carolina Education Lottery were sold at Jimmy’s Mart on Two Notch Road, lottery officials said in a news release. That’s near Spring Valley High School.
A Midlands woman won $25,000 a year playing a Lucky for Life scratch-off game she purchased at the convenience store/gas station, and a Midlands man bought a Palmetto Cash 5 ticket that turned into a $100,000 payday, according to the release.
The winners will be allowed to retain some privacy, as South Carolina is one of eight states — along with Delaware, Kansas, Georgia, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio and Texas — that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.
“I’ve been playing the lottery for years at Jimmy’s Mart,” said the Lucky for Life winner, who chose a one-time cash payment of $390,000 instead of the $25,000 a year for life prize, officials said.
There was a lag in someone claiming the prize drawn on Dec. 24 because the woman said she went on vacation after buying the ticket and didn’t check the results — at Jimmy’s Mart — until nine days later, according to the release.
After discovering her good fortune, the woman said she laughed and wished the clerk a happy new year before grabbing the ticket and driving home, officials said.
The odds of winning $25,000 a year for life are are 1,813,028-to-1, lottery officials said.
Hitting a $100,000 jackpot on Dec. 22 hasn’t stopped the man from continuing to play Palmetto Cash 5 at Jimmy’s Mart, according to the release.
“I play every day. I’m still playing,” said the man, who realized he won when he was buying a ticket for the next drawing, according to the release.
The odds of winning $100,000 playing Palmetto Cash 5 are 501,942-to-1, lottery officials said.
Jimmy’s Mart received commissions of $3,900 and $1,000 for selling the winning tickets, according to the release.
The store is already well known for its hot dogs and catfish stew. It’s known as by most as “Hot Dog Heaven,” The State previously reported. Staff at Jimmy’s Mart previously said they will sell upward of 1,000 hot dogs in a day, and their specialty is the “all the way” which is topped with mustard, onion and Jimmy’s chili.
But it could garner a new reputation.
And those were not the only significant lottery prizes won from games sold at Jimmy’s Mart. Other recent wins at the store include a $1,000 Mega Millions win, a $7,700 Pick 4 win, a $602 Palmetto Cash 5 win, and a $1,000 win on a $300,000 Riches scratch-off, officials said.
On Tuesday, a Palmetto Cash 5 ticket that was sold at another Columbia convenience store was drawn for a $200,000 payday, lottery officials said.
A winner has yet to come forward to claim the prize after purchasing the ticket at the Shiv Food Mart at 3117 N. Beltline Blvd. That’s near the junction with Two Notch Road.
The winner now has 180 days to claim the prize after the numbers — 3 - 5 - 9 - 22 - 29 and power-up 2 — were drawn, according to lottery officials.
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This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 10:21 AM.
