Winning $1.22 Billion Lottery Bought In Indian-American Store Brings Hope To Family, Town

India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA – Jaspal Singh and his son Ishar Gill, Indian American owners of the Circle K convenience store in Cottonwood, Shasta County, have experienced both devastating lows and remarkable highs in recent years. In August 2021, their Sunshine Food and Gas station was completely destroyed in a fire, forcing them to start over from scratch. After a long and arduous recovery, the store finally reopened in March 2023. Reflecting on their journey, the family shared on Facebook, “We were determined to come back stronger.”

Now, their hard work has been met with incredible fortune. On December 27, their store sold a winning Mega Millions ticket worth $1.22 billion, the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. history. The winning numbers—3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold Mega Ball 6—turned Sunshine Food and Gas into a symbol of hope for the small rural community of Cottonwood, which has a population of about 6,000 and lies 150 miles north of Sacramento.

Gill, the store’s director of operations, called the win “a blessing” for both their family and the town. Recalling the moment they learned the news, he said, “I had to read it two, three times. I told my wife, and then we ran to my dad’s room to tell him. He asked, ‘Are you guys sure? Did we really win?’”

The store’s share of the winnings is yet to be determined, but Gill noted it is capped at $1 million. The identity of the jackpot winner remains unknown, as they have not yet come forward, and the exact timing of the ticket purchase is still unclear.

Despite the windfall, Singh and Gill remain deeply connected to their community. They told KRCR that they plan to reinvest some of the money into Cottonwood, a gesture they hope will uplift the town and put it on the national map. “We aren’t going anywhere,” they said, emphasizing their excitement about the newfound recognition for their resilient little town.

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