Buzz Surrounds Trenton 7-Eleven After Powerball Surprise
By Trang Do, Justin Udo
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292 million.
As crazy as that sounds, New Jersey Lottery officials announced Sunday that the sole winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven on Chambers Street in Trenton.
"I was like, 'wow, this is so exciting'!" said clerk Luis Sandoval. "This is the first time we've actually won anything this big, so it was mind-blowing."
The winning numbers for the $429.6 million dollar jackpot: 25, 66, 44, 5, 26, and Powerball 9.
Sandoval thinks he sold it to a woman who is a regular lotto customer:
"Since it was a kinda slow that day, I kind of have an idea. But I'm not 100-percent sure."
Unfortunately, it wasn't regular customer Cathy Bacak, who said she buys lottery tickets there every day:
"I couldn't hit the big one! I got the number 66. That's about the only one I got."
As news of the winning ticket spread, the store attracted more lotto players than usual hoping the good fortune hasn't yet run out.
"I did play the Jersey Cash Five," said Patricia Williams of Trenton. "So hopefully I have some luck."
"I come in here to play them all," this customer says. "I played Powerball, Pick 6, Cash 5."
Sandoval says he's happy he sold the winning ticket, but he does hope there is something in the cards for him:
"It would help me out a lot with school."
Lottery officials say the 7-Eleven gets $30,000 for selling the winning ticket.
Other customers who stopped in Sunday say they are happy for the winner:
"Unbelievable man, it's like a dream come true here in Mercer county. I thought it was me this morning."
"Congratulations, that's all I can say. Spend it wisely."
If the winner takes the lump sum, the ticket is valued at $284-million, before taxes.
This was the 6th largest Powerball jackpot in the game's history. It is also the most valuable lottery ticket ever sold in New Jersey, since there are no other winning tickets to split the prize.
A news conference with NJ Lottery officials and store owner Andrea Shin is scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m.
