NEW SHARON — George Brown sat in his car outside Douin’s Market earlier this week and scratched a few lottery tickets, reaching the last one without high hopes for a winner.

When he scratched that last ticket, the retired Marine from Industry thought his eyes were playing tricks. It said he’d won $21,000.

“I just remember thinking I can’t believe this, and I took it into the store and asked if they saw the same thing,” he said.

When the winning ticket was confirmed, everyone in the small family-owned roadside store burst into cheers for Brown, 75.

“This glow just came about in his face and we all couldn’t stop smiling,” said Joseph Douin, store co-owner.

Brown on Thursday said he plans to give most of the money to family and stash away a little bit away for himself. He joked that his five children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren will be getting a little more money in their birthday cards this year.

He has been buying about $20 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets once a week for years. His biggest previous winner was $500. His victory this week came on a $2 Hot Card ticket and he won the ticket’s jackpot.

Douin, 42, owns the U.S. Route 2 store with his wife, DeAnne. The couple has run it for just more than five years and Brown has stopped in pretty much every day to chat with neighbors in the shop.

“You like to see one of the regulars win big, and it’s just nice because he plays all the time and he was tickled to pieces,” Douin said.

After they settled down from the initial excitement, Douin helped Brown protect his prize. The storeowner gave him a few tips, such as signing the back of the ticket in case he lost it, and sent him down to Augusta to claim the winnings.

A $7,000 scratch-off winner was also sold at West Front Street Market in Skowhegan, Maine State Lottery said Thursday. A $241 million jackpot Powerball winner was sold in Iowa for Wednesday’s drawing. The Powerball jackpot for Saturday’s drawing will be $40 million.

Brown seldom goes after the big jackpots and is content to keep playing the scratch tickets.

“I don’t live a lavish lifestyle, and I bought me a ridin’ mower the other day, so it’s just nice to know I’ll be able to pay that off now,” he said with a laugh.

David F. Robinson — 861-9287

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