CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Retired Logan County truck driver Randy Brown said his three daughters didn’t believe him last Saturday morning when he texted them and told them he had won $1 million in Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing.
“They thought I was joking with them,” Brown said at a news conference Tuesday at West Virginia Lottery headquarters in Charleston. “They kept asking me, “Are you serious? Are you joking?’ then they finally believed it.”
Brown, of Man, took home the cash option of $659,000. He said he’ll use the money to help his daughters, restore an old Jeep and go to some places he’s never been before.
“I like going in the mountains and enjoying nature. There’s a couple of places I want to go and that’s where I’m heading next,” he said.
Brown regularly plays both Mega Millions and Powerball. He purchased his ticket at the C and L Super Serve in Mallory. The store owners received $10,000 from the Lottery Tuesday for selling the winning ticket. Brown found out he had won when he went to the store Saturday morning to buy Powerball. He said he had the clerk check the Friday night numbers.
“You can’t win if you don’t play,” he said.
The Lottery hopes to announce another $1 million winner later this week. A group of workers from Beckley hit all but one number on Saturday night’s Powerball drawing.
Brown is the 63rd person to win at least a share of a $1 million prize in West Virginia Lottery history.