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Man runs out of gas and wins $1,000,000 as he stops for fuel

Home> News

Published 11:07 29 May 2023 GMT+1

Man runs out of gas and wins $1,000,000 as he stops for fuel

He plans to buy himself a new car with his winnings

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A man who ran out of gas and stopped to refuel ended up winning $1 million dollars after buying himself a scratch card at the gas station.

Michael Schlemmer, from Corbin, Kentucky, spotted his car was just about to run out of fuel so he pulled into the Convenient Food Mart to top his car up.

Once inside he decided to get himself a Luck Kentucky Lottery scratch-off card.

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“I ran out of gas, and I coasted in there,” Schlemmer said. “I had 40 bucks on me and bought $20 worth of gas, and bought a ticket.”

He scratched off his $20 ticket and revealed the symbol that showed he won a whopping $1 million.

Schlemmer explained: "I scratched it off, and I looked at it and went back in the store.

"I showed the girls that sold it to me, and they about had a fit.

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“The owners of the store were there and they both started grinning.”

The Convenient Food Mart will receive $8,620 for selling the winning ticket, according to the Kentucky Lottery.

Michael Schlemmer with his $1 million check.
Kentucky Lottery

Schlemmer said the reality of his good fortune wouldn’t really sink in until he was handed the check.

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"Nothing went through my mind,” he said. “I just got up and went back in the store and showed it to them [store clerks].

"Until I get the check in my hand, I don't believe it.”

Schlemmer decided to take the lump sum of $862,000 rather than receiving $50,000 per year over two decades.

After taxes he was handed a check for $616,330.

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Schlemmer said he plans to buy himself a new car with his winnings and will save the rest.

He’d pulled over to refuel when he had a touch of good luck.
Pexels/Engin Akyurt

Sharing his excitement, he said: "I told the dealership I'm waiting for a big check to come in, and then I hit that."

Earlier this year, one kind-hearted lottery winner announced they would be giving their entire jackpot away to charity.

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The South Carolina man, who wanted to remain anonymous, won $150,000 in the Powerball on the 16 January draw.

He missed the grand prize, which would have scored him $416 million (or $224.9 million if taken all at once as a lump sum), by one number and has decided not to enjoy the limelight by staying anonymous and giving away the cash.

What a lovely guy.

Featured Image Credit: Kentucky Lottery

Topics: Money, US News

Claire Reid
Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at UNILAD who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats.

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