Selling a winning lottery ticket is good for business.
At least that’s what some area store clerks are saying.
M. Rashedil Hasan, manager of the Citgo Food Mart at 2060 Peachtree Road in northwest Atlanta, said more people have been buying Georgia Lottery tickets since he sold one that landed a customer $243,503.
“It’s good for us,” Hasan said. “That will let people know we have winners.”
Maurice Perrson of Atlanta bought that winning Fantasy 5 ticket and matched all five numbers from the Feb. 26 drawing.
Hasan said it’s the second time a winning ticket was sold at the store. The store sold one that led to a $200,000 prize in 2007, he said.
Rashid Siddiqi said more people have been coming into the Chevron station on the 5600 block of West Fayetteville Road in College Park since a winning ticket was sold there.
“It’s a good thing people are winning from our store,” Siddiqi said.
The $250,000 prize went to Dora Potter. Potter scratched off her ticket in front of the window where Siddiqi was working.
A convenience store in Macon sold two winning tickets for the Decades of Dollars during the game's first month.
The Kwickie/Flash store on Thomaston Road sold two $10,000 tickets in February. Dan Foster of Macon and Barbara Ann Ridley of McDonough won by matching five of the six numbers on their ticket.
Ridley bought her winning ticket on Feb. 14.
Foster bought his on Feb. 24. He plans to buy a new car.
“I’ve been driving the same car for quite a number of years,” Foster said. “I’m planning on upgrading my transportation somewhat.”
Sellers of Georgia Lottery tickets – mostly small business such as convenience stores – made $429,000 in sales in fiscal 2010, according to a spokeswoman for the Georgia Lottery.
Retailers receive an average 5 percent to 7 percent on each ticket sold. They earn bonuses from selling winning tickets.
Those bonuses include: $25,000 for selling a Mega Millions or Powerball jackpot ticket in Georgia; $5,000 for selling a winning Win for Life or Decades of dollars ticket in Georgia; and $2,000 for selling a Fantasy 5 jackpot ticket. For the Fantasy 5 ticket, the amount increases by $2,000 for each time the jackpot rolls.
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