UPTOWN — After selling a winning lottery ticket, an Uptown business owner is feeling lucky.
Tai Nam Market, 4925 N. Broadway, sold a ticket that matched all five numbers but missed the Mega Ball, meaning the mystery buyer can still claim $1 million of Tuesday night's $636 million Mega Millions jackpot.
Phieu Tran, co-owner of the market, said that the announcement by Illinois Lottery officials and subsequent media coverage has already generated a lot of "publicity, attention" and business at the market.
"People hear about it and get in a good mood. They think that if we have luck that we'll spread it around, and people come here to buy tickets," Tran said.
Numerous people were at the market Wednesday afternoon purchasing tickets. Romeo Gomez, 53, was buying a lottery ticket that day in hopes of winning a prize of his own.
"I played last time, I played I don't know how many times," said Gomez, who was also buying a scratch-off ticket. "But maybe I'll be the next one to get lucky."
Lottery spokeswoman Chanele Newton said that for selling the winning ticket, the store will get 1 percent of the cash prize — $10,000.
Newton said no one has come forward yet to claim the prize.
"We're still waiting," she said.
Market co-owner Tran said of the mystery winner: "I don't think he or she is going to show up today."
"But I know everybody is checking their ticket," he said.
Tran said the market would use its $10,000 bonus to "improve the store."