COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina man did not realize he was driving around with an unscratched $300,000 winning ticket until he discovered it in his console two days later.
The man, who lives in the Midlands area of the state, bought a $10 scratch-off in the $300,000 Fun Fortune game, South Carolina Education Lottery officials said in a news release.
The winning ticket was bought, along with a bottle of water, at the Pitt Stop gas and convenience store in Blythewood, The State newspaper of Columbia reported.
“I threw the ticket in the car’s console and forgot about it,” the man, who wished to remain anonymous, told lottery officials.
Once the man remembered the ticket and scratched it, he saw how much he had won. He drove to the Lottery’s claims center in Columbia to cash in, according to the newspaper.
“I was overwhelmed with joy,” the man told lottery officials. He did not say what he would do with his winnings.
South Carolina is one of eight states that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous, according to The State. The others are Delaware, Kansas, Georgia, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio and Texas.
The convenience store will receive a $3,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The $300,000 prize was one of three in the promotion, lottery officials said. Two more grand prizes have yet to be won.