BELEN – The New Mexico Lottery today recognized Young Baca’s Kicks 66 store in Belen as a “Lucky Landmark” for selling a Mega Millions ticket worth $1 million.
The store, located at 1304 S. Main St. in Belen, sold the $1 million winning ticket to Veguita resident Danny Garcia for the game’s June 5 drawing.
Garcia’s quick-pick ticket matched the five winning white balls to win $250,000, but the prize became $1 million because the player added the game’s $1 Megaplier feature to his wager. Megaplier multiplies non-jackpot prizes automatically.
In today’s ceremony, New Mexico Lottery CEO Tom Romero commended Paul and Loretta Baca, owners of Young Baca’s Kicks 66 store, for their support of Legislative Lottery Scholarships.
“By selling New Mexico Lottery games, the Bacas and their employees have brought much good fortune to Danny Garcia and to our state’s college-bound students,” Romero said. “The entire state is grateful to Young Baca’s Kicks 66 for making the dream of a college education a reality for so many people.”
Sen. Michael Sanchez, sponsor of the bill that created the New Mexico Lottery and the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program, presented a Lucky Landmark plaque to the Bacas.
“I am very grateful to the Bacas. They’re stellar business people and community leaders,” Sanchez said. “And I am very grateful to the people of New Mexico for their continued support of the scholarship program. They have made so many scholarships available to young people to help them further their education.”
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
The sale of New Mexico Lottery games funds a college tuition-assistance program. Since its inception in April 1996, the lottery has raised $525.8 million for education and more than 75,300 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships.
As of the Spring 2011 semester, more than 3,200 students from Valencia County have received $14.5 million in Legislative Lottery Scholarships.
New Mexico Lottery Fun Facts
- Five Powerball jackpots have been won in New Mexico;
- New Mexico’s record Powerball jackpot of $206.9 million was won by a pool of nine players from Roswell in September 2008;
- Five Hot Lotto jackpots have been won in New Mexico;
- New Mexico’s record Hot Lotto jackpot of $5.6 million was won by David C. Fort from Albuquerque in February 2008;
- New Mexico Lottery prizes from drawing games and Scratchers total $1.03 billion; while Powerball players in New Mexico have purchased $610 million in tickets, they have won the larger sum of $650 million in prizes;
- 39 people have become millionaires playing New Mexico Lottery games.