Gas station workers track down owner of lost $1M lottery ticket

March 20 (UPI) -- A Kansas Lottery player said he was shocked when gas station employees tracked him down to return a dropped Mega Millions ticket worth $1 million.

The Lincoln County man told Kansas Lottery officials he and his brother were on their way home to watch basketball when they stopped a gas station in Salina.

"My brother went in to check my tickets. He apparently dropped the unsigned Mega Millions ticket, and then we left to go back home," the man said.

Employees at the gas station found the dropped ticket and scanned it, discovering it was a $1 million winner.

The store owner's son came in to help the clerk's track down the man who dropped the ticket.

"We had already been home for about an hour, and then went out and ran another errand. As we passed the store, the owner's son pulled out behind us and flagged us down. He explained what happened and handed me the ticket, and I just couldn't believe it!" the man said.

The man, who collected his winnings at lottery headquarters Monday, said he had no idea that one of his tickets was a winner and hadn't noticed that one of his tickets was missing after his brother checked them. He said the actions of the store employees restored his faith in humanity.