$1 million Powerball ticket sold at Clayton store
Jul. 20—CLAYTON — Someone who stopped by Sliders Food Mart in Clayton to buy a lottery ticket can look forward to having $1 million more in the bank.
New York State Lottery officials announced Thursday that a second-prize ticket was purchased at the Clayton convenience store, 634 James St., but the winner's identity is still unknown.
When word of the win came out, it stirred up a buzz around the riverside town, leaving residents and visitors hungry for more details.
"It could be someone from out of town," said Diane Thomas, the manager at Sliders Food Mart.
"It wasn't me. I'm still at work," she added.
A customer visiting the store on Thursday said, "It could be me, but I wouldn't tell you if it was." They wished to remain anonymous.
"I would retire right away," is what Dan Palame, a construction worker from Tonawanda, said he would do if he won the $1 million. Palame has a cottage in Clayton that he is visiting this week, and relaxing there would become his new full-time job. "I would be up here all summer."
Adam Parliament, who runs The Wood Guy, a firewood business based in Clayton, has a similar plan if he were ever to win a lottery. "I wouldn't be here," Parliament said.
His plan would be to quit selling firewood and focus on his side-business, selling antiques. "It's a lot easier," he said.
Workers at Sliders reported that a winning $2,500 Cash For Life ticket was also purchased at the store, the day before. With the winning $1 million lottery and $2,500 Cash For Life tickets bought at Sliders on back-to-back days, some might say that Sliders is a lucky spot — others might blame it all on coincidence.
The first-prize Powerball ticket, worth $1.08 billion, was sold in California.
A third-prize ticket worth $50,000 was sold at Joe's Kwik Mart at 1268 Arsenal St. in Watertown, according to the Lottery.
