$1M scratch-off prize won at Foster House II

The winner hasn’t been identified yet, but a ceremonial check will be presented Thursday.

One lucky person who chose to stop at Foster House II for dinner last week is $1 million richer.

The Pennsylvania Lottery said a winning ticket in the $1,000,000 Winnings scratch-off was sold at the bar/restaurant. It lived up to its name when a woman realized she had won the top prize.

The lottery’s $1,000,000 Winnings is a $20 game that offers top prizes of $1 million.

Foster House II owner Theresa Bashada said they have never sold a ticket that hit that big.

“We’ve never had anything close to that amount,” she said. “I think the biggest was maybe $1,000 or $5,000, but nothing like that. It’s exciting.”

Bashada said Foster House II started selling lottery and scratch-offs when it moved to its new location, One Cook Road in Belle Vernon (Washington Township), seven years ago.

“It’s something (co-owner Dave Bashada) wanted to do, get in lottery machines, and I was a bit hesitant because I thought it would be a lot of work,” she said. “But they updated the machines about three years ago and it’s so easy now.”

People who stop in for dinner or a cold beer can play their lucky numbers for any Pennsylvania Lottery game or buy a scratch-off ticket.

Everything is done through a self-serve kiosk, which makes it simple and easy.

“We have some people who stop in right off the street to play their numbers or get a scratch-off without eating or drinking anything. They come for the lottery,” Theresa said.

The big winner, who has not been identified yet, was eating at the restaurant last Tuesday with her family.

A waitress saw the kids start to make a commotion. When she approached the table, the customer said she had won big on a ticket.

After filing her claim, Bashada heard from the lottery Thursday to confirm the ticket had hit.

Scratch-offs are distributed at random, meaning the Pennsylvania Lottery and its retailers do not know where winning tickets will be sold.

Lottery officials learn where winning tickets are sold only after a prize has been claimed.

All lottery prizes more than $5,000 are subject to applicable withholding.

Foster House II will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning scratchoff.

That money will help the business repave its parking lot, which has sustained a bit of damage over the past two winters.

“We’ve been wanting to pave our lot for a while, and the last two winters have been pretty hard on it, so we’d like to use the money to help with that,” Theresa said.

The lottery will present the winner with a ceremonial check at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the restaurant.