BEAUMONT, Texas — One lucky Beaumont man is $1 million dollars richer after purchasing a winning lottery ticket at Buzzy Bee gas station near downtown and is now giving back.
"It was a $20 ticket," said the winner, who wishes to remain anonymous.
He walked into the gas station on MLK Parkway to purchase his favorite drink and a lottery ticket. Little did he know, he'd walk away a millionaire.
"I couldn't believe it. I had to get my phone out and scan the ticket and it come up, I won a million," he said.
After playing the lottery for 30 years, the winner says he's never won anything like this.
"I sat in my chair all night, didn't sleep with my ticket in my hand. Then 8:00 in the morning I was at the lottery claim center in Beaumont. About 30 minutes, later walked out with a check," he said.
The winner, who is a 66-year-old retired Navy veteran says after taxes he will pocket around $630,000. He plans to invest most of the money.
"Tomorrow I'm buying $500,000 worth of stocks and bonds and keeping the rest," he said.
He also decided to pay it forward to the man who helped him win.
"When I first started buying them I told myself that if I ever hit big, I was going to give the clerk that sold me the ticket some of those winnings," he said.
He has this message for fellow players.
"Players out there, just endeavor to persevere. It's all luck you just gotta buy them at the right time," he said.