$80 million lottery ticket sold in Petaluma

A Petaluma supermarket sold Wednesday night’s winning Super Lotto Plus ticket worth $80 million, officials said today.

The winner has not yet come forward, but Safeway on South McDowell Boulevard will be paid $400,000 for selling the ticket, said Olga Gallardo, California Lottery spokeswoman.

Safeway bookkeeper Silvia Gonzalez said the winner could be any number of lottery regulars she has helped.

She said she often jokes with her customers that if they win, she would love tickets to her dream destination — Italy. But store employees can’t accept gifts, she said.

“I feel really good,” Gonzalez said. I’m excited for the person.”

She said lottery officials converged on the store with the news. She said the store has been getting more than the usual number of phone calls, but no winner has emerged.

“I probably sold the winning ticket,” Gonzalez said. “I do all the money orders and those kinds of things.”

Lottery officials said eight other tickets sold across the state came close to winning. Each of those tickets is worth $18,000.

The winning combination was 2, 6, 17, 41 and 45. The number 1 was the the “mega” number.” The $80 million winner got all six numbers correct.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.