Winning tickets for $636M Mega Millions jackpot sold in California, Georgia

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Christmas is about to come early for several lucky lotto players. California Lottery officials announced Tuesday that someone in San Jose bought a winning ticket for the second largest lottery jackpot of all time -- $636 million. Georgia Lottery officials confirmed to ABC News that someone also bought a ticket with the numbers in Atlanta.

Officials said the winning ticket -- with all six numbers: 8, 20, 14, 17, 39 and Mega Ball number 7 -- was purchased from Jennifer’s Gift Shop in San Jose, Calif., and Gateway Newstand on Lenox Road in Atlanta.

“Somebody’s going to put a lot of money in their bank account real soon," lottery rep Alex Traverso said.

Jennifer's Gift Shop owner Thuy Nguyen will receive $1 million for selling the winning ticket and said he felt "so happy".

"The lottery called me and let me know [that the winning ticket was sold here], so then when I came and take a look, everybody [was] here, and whoa!" Nguyen said. "I am so happy, I feel good."

Two tickets with five of the winning numbers were also sold in San Diego County.

If none of the winning numbers sold, lottery officials expected the jackpot to swell to $1 billion by Christmas Day. The nation's largest lottery jackpot, $656 million, went to three people in 2012.

[San Jose Mercury News, KTLA, ABC News]