Way Station owner explains joy of selling $1 million scratch-off

 Way Station owner explains joy of selling $1 million scratch-off

Way Station owner Charlie Way holds up a scratch-off ticket similar to the one that made one of his customers $1 million richer.

What was it like for the owner of Plymouth’s Way Station in the hours after it was revealed he sold a $1 million scratch-off lottery ticket?

“First of all, I’m just so happy for whoever the winner is,” said Charlie Way, who has owned the business on Main Street for the past seven years. “I still don’t know who it is, but he or she told the Lottery that they buy tickets from us on a regular basis, so I’m guessing I probably know the person.

“Once word got out we sold the big winner, people were coming in saying, ‘This is the lucky lottery store!’ My store set a single-day record for lottery sales (on Dec. 27), with a lot of people purchasing the Wild Cherry scratch-off that was the $1 million winner. It was also the day the Mega Millions jackpot was $1.2 billion, so that helped, too.”

Here’s how he learned of big ticket

Way, who smiled broadly throughout a brief interview on Saturday, said he found out his station had sold the massive scratch-off winner from a customer.

“Once I found out, I checked the Lottery’s website and, sure enough, it said the ticket was sold at the Way Station,” he recalled, flashing a $1 million smile. “Then when I got my regular update from the Lottery — they tell us what we owe them or they owe us on a regular basis — I saw the $2,000 that we get for selling the big ticket. That was awesome!”

The Way Station is located at 950 South Main Street in Plymouth
The Way Station is located at 950 South Main Street in Plymouth

Way explained that businesses that sell Lottery tickets receive 2% of winnings; however, the amount is capped at $2,000 for large winnings like the $1 million Wild Cherry scratch-off sold at the Way Station.

The Way Station is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Main and Palmer. It has been the site of a gas station since the late-60s, Way learned. A Sunoco station preceded the Way Station on the property. A Clark 100 station was the original business to occupy the site, Way said.

Festive business

Way said he decorates his business with a large Santa Claus and other holiday trimmings on an annual basis — something residents who live nearby appreciate, he revealed.

“This community has been so warm and welcoming toward us ever since we opened about seven years ago,” he said. “That the person that won the $1 million is a regular customer really warms my heart.”

Way owns two other stores in the Ypsilanti area. He said prior to this month, the largest Lottery ticket winners he has sold were a $55,000 Fantasy 5 winner and a $342,000 scratch-off winner, which came on back-to-back weeks.

“It’s a great feeling to know we had at least a little something to do with a life-changing event for someone,” Way said.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.

Ed Wright

Related post