Texas winner from Fort Stockton claims $1 million Mega Millions prize

Drawing Date: 11/1/2013

11-12-13 is Lucky Day for Texas Lottery Mega Millions winner!

AUSTIN (November 12, 2013) – Today’s date is one that Sandra Castro of Fort Stockton is likely to remember. Castro and her family traveled to Texas Lottery^® headquarters in Austin today to claim a $1,000,001 prize on a ticket she purchased for the Nov. 1 Mega Millions^® drawing.

Castro’s Quick Pick ticket held three lines of Mega Millions numbers – one did not match any numbers drawn, the second line matched all five numbers (32 – 35 – 49 – 62 – 67) but not the Mega Ball (1), and the third line matched the Mega Ball (1) but not the other five numbers drawn. This means that the ticket was worth the $1 million second-tier prize plus the $1 Mega Ball prize, but it also means that the ticket was a single line away from the $87 million jackpot prize.

“We like watching the TLC shows about lottery winners, and my husband will always ask me, ‘Can you imagine?’ I tell him, ‘That’s all I can do – imagine!’ said Castro.

Castro’s husband says he always had a good feeling about his wife’s Mega Millions purchases. “I always told her, ‘If anybody’s going to win, it should be you.”

Her son echoed that sentiment saying it was his mother’s “big heart” that helped her win.

Castro, on the other hand, says the secret to winning is simpler than that. “You cannot win if you don’t play.”

The Stripes No. 27 located at 1000 N. Front in Fort Stockton sold the lucky Mega Millions ticket. Castro says she’s already purchased her tickets for tonight’s drawing, with an estimated annuitized jackpot of $132 million and an estimated cash value of $71.5 million.

The Texas Lottery Commission presented a ceremonial check to Castro and thanked the family for sharing their winning story. To see a video of the check presentation, visit the Texas Lottery YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/TheTexasLottery.