Michael Carlson, 39, of Imperial won $1 million in the Missouri Lottery’s Mega Millions game, the Lottery reports.
Carlson purchased his $5 Quick Pick ticket July 8 at Schottzie’s Bar & Grill in south St. Louis County, where he works as a manager.
“That’s the only ticket I bought,” Carlson said. “I really didn’t think this was going to happen.”
The Mega Millions jackpot on July 8 was $540 million. Carlson won $1 million by matching five white-ball numbers. The winning numbers were: 8, 19, 20, 55, 73, and the Mega Ball was 5. The winning jackpot ticket that night was sold in Indiana.
“When I checked mine (his ticket), it said, ‘Cannot pay yet.’ So, I Googled the numbers, and I thought maybe I just matched the Mega Ball, but one after another kept coming up. I was like, ‘Oh, wow!’ It was unbelievable,” he said.
The money comes at a good time for the 39-year-old, who got married a few months ago.
“Plan on investing most of it,” said Carlson, who said they would also pay down their cars and house.
He said he plans to keep working.
Schottzie’s Bar & Grill received a $1,000 bonus for selling a winning Match 5 ticket.