Lightning Strikes Twice: Million Dollar Scratch Ticket Sold At Old South Diner, Again

Is the Old South Diner the luckiest place in the world?

For the second time in three months, a million-dollar scratch ticket was purchased at the Nantucket convenience store. This time the lucky winner is Garen Downie, of Hyannis, who claimed a $2 million prize Monday in the Massachusetts State Lottery’s “Lifetime Millions” $50 instant scratch ticket game.

Downie opted to receive his prize in the form of a one-time payment of $1,300,000 (before taxes). He said he plans on investing his winnings.

Downie added that he works on Nantucket and buys his scratch tickets here on the island at the Old South Diner. The store receives a $20,000 bonus for its sale of the ticket.

“It rarely happens, but twice in three months? There’s something about this place…” Old South Diner manager Binod BK told the Current Tuesday morning.

In March, Jose Fontanez hit a $1 million scratch ticket purchased at the Old South Diner.

Binod BK said there was a rush of people buying tickets after Fontanez's prize was announced in March, and he expects a similar influx of customers looking to hit it big on a scratch ticket now that the news is out about Downie's jackpot.

They do say things happen in threes...