April 19 (UPI) — Josh Buster of West Burlington, Iowa, has won $1 million from playing Mega Millions following a ticket-printing mistake.
Buster told lottery officials that his local convenience store clerk accidentally printed out just one, easy-pick play for the Mega Millions drawing after Buster had asked for five.
The clerk then printed out the four remaining easy-pick plays on a separate ticket.
“I feel like that changed the numbers that I would have gotten if he had put them all on one instead of making that mistake,” Buster said.
Buster, a 40-year-old prep chef, came within one number of having a share of the $20 million jackpot after he matched the first five numbers, but missed the Mega Ball. The convenience store will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Buster said he will use the winnings to pay off his car and the mortgage to his mother’s house before putting the rest of the money away fore retirement.
“It will take away a lot of my stress in my life — no more financial worries,” Buster said.
Recently, Paul and Teresa Hartsoe of Conowingo, Md., learned about their $1 million Mega Millions lottery win through Facebook
