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Narinder Badwal, an Indian-American threw a party at his friend's Milpitas restaurant after learning that he was to receive a $247,500 commission for selling one of California's two winning $99 million Super Lotto tickets.
What Badwal, who has played the lottery since it began in 1985, didn't know was that he had sold one of the winning tickets to himself - and that he had won $49.5 million, representing his half of a jackpot that he shared with an aspiring actress from southern California.
Owner of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Santa Clara, in the heart of the Silicon Valley, Badwal told reporters that he didn't bother to check his tickets, which he had bought about 90 minutes before last Wednesday's drawing, because he was so busy at the store.
An aspiring actress and her fiancée stepped up to claim half the prize - $49.5 million (for the other ticket sold elsewhere).
But on Friday morning, his brother, Parminder Badwal, knowing no one had stepped forward to claim the other half of the jackpot, phoned and suggested that Narinder check his tickets, the San Jose Mercury reported on Tuesday.
'Forget it, you know that I never win more than $10 or $11, so what's the big deal?' Badwal told his brother.
He told his brother, Parminder Badwal, to check the tickets, which were in his office. He had picked the same numbers, which have no special significance, for the past four months. But he never figured he would win.
Fifteen minutes later, Parminder informed him that he had the winning ticket.
Narinder Badwal (49) said there would be no significant changes in his life and intends to continue running his store. But he will increase his contributions to charity. The first big beneficiary will be the Sankara Eye Foundation, which funds research on blindness and provides eye care to the poor in India.
On Tuesday, he threw another party at his friend's restaurant for another celebration and the official presentation from lottery officials.