The year 2024 has been lucky for A M Jineesh, 42, owner of S J Lucky Centre at Panamaram in Wayanad.
On Wednesday, his agency catapulted to fame when ticket TG 434222 that he sold to a sub-agent Nagaraju in Sulthan Bathery won the Thiruvonam Bumper first prize of Rs 25 crore.
Jineesh will pocket Rs 25 lakh as commission. Nagaraju, who sold the ticket to the winner, is set to get richer by Rs 2.25 crore, his share of the commission. Last month, a Karunya Lottery sold by Jineesh fetched the first prize of Rs 80 lakhs, and his agency also sold a ticket that claimed Rs 10 lakh in the New Year bumper.
“My tickets used to bag countless prices under Rs 10 lakhs but this year it seems the goddess of luck has blessed me,” said Jineesh.He entered the lottery business 23 years ago with a small counter. Now he owns two major outlets, the other one is at Sulthan Bathery.
Migrant worker to 'lucky lottery seller'
The 'N G R Lucky Centre' at Sulthan Bathery is now the cynosure of luck hunters. Nagaraju, who owns the Lucky Centre, hails from Karnataka. Nagaraju and his brother Manju have been receiving greetings from people who thronged the outlet since the draw was announced.
The brothers are yet to learn who bought lucky ticket from them as their outlet is close to the central bus station. Nagaraju said the ticket was sold a month or two ago and it might have been bought by even migrant workers from Tamil Nadu.
Nagaraju began selling lotteries in 2008. Before that, he worked as a daily-wage labourer, headload worker and sales assistant at a lottery outlet. “All this because of blessings from our parents,” Nagaraju said.
