Butler resident wins $1 million from lottery ticket from Sheetz
BUTLER TWP — Jake Parkinson, of Butler, normally doesn’t go to the Sheetz at 356 New Castle Road, and he doesn’t normally buy lottery tickets. Even after buying a ticket Nov. 22, Parkinson didn’t compare it against the winning number until he went back to that Sheetz, which had a sign saying a $1 million lottery ticket had been sold there.
The local truck driver scanned his ticket, which turned out to have the winning numbers, then double checked on the lottery’s website when he realized he won $1 million.
“I had a big smile on my face when I saw I won,” Parkinson said. “Once I figured out I won big, I was in shock.”
The Pennsylvania Lottery had a ceremony at that Sheetz on Wednesday morning, Feb. 28, where Parkinson received a big check from lottery officials.
Nick Ruffner, public relations manager for Sheetz, said at the ceremony that Sheetz locations around Western Pennsylvania have sold several winning lottery tickets just over the past few months.
Victoria Holman, Western Pennsylvania regional sales manager for the lottery, said that since lottery ticket sales began in Pennsylvania in 1972, the game of chance has allocated an estimated $35.1 billion to senior citizen programs throughout the state.
“The programs supported by the lottery are coveted by state government,” Holman said, “and help seniors across the commonwealth with things like property tax, rent rebates, free meals, transportation and prescription assistance.”
Parkinson said he gets to keep about $720,000 of his winnings after taxes and fees, so he plans to keep his truck driving job. However, he called the sum a life-changing amount of money, which will help him get ahead of house payments and even have some money to invest.
“I’m paying my house off and then investing whatever I can after that,” Parkinson said.
