There may be a ‘lucky’ lotto store near your Southern California home, research suggests

“Luck” can’t really be measured, or can it? 

In light of the $1.7 billion Powerball jackpot – the third largest in U.S. history – many may be flocking to their local stores to play the lotto and, hopefully, win enough cash to last a lifetime – and then some.

But despite the millions playing, there has been no winner in 41 straight drawings dating back to May 31. 

All the lotto mania inspired analysts at casino.org to compile data on more than 132,000 winning Powerball and Mega Millions tickets across the country. From that research, they identified the stores where the most valuable jackpot-winning tickets were purchased, and the analysts used that data to create a ranking of the “luckiest” stores based on how many jackpot tickets were sold and how much prize money was won. 

The data found that the “luckiest” store in America is right here in Southern California: Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, which has sold a whopping 13 jackpots worth $3,291,320,250 — nearly $3.3 billion, according to casino.org researchers.

Those with a keen memory may recognize Joe’s as the store that sold the $2.04 billion Powerball ticket — the highest lottery prize in American history — to Edwin Castro in November 2022. Castro, who was identified the following February but never made a public appearance, elected to take the lump $997.6 million payment.

As the “luckiest” spot in America, Joe’s also claims the title of “luckiest” in California. At No. 2 is Midway Market & Liquors, located in the Kern County community of Frazier Park, casino.org says. That store sold a $1.7 billion ticket in October 2023, the second-highest jackpot in Powerball history.

The third-highest Powerball jackpot, a $1.04 billion ticket won in July 2023, was sold at California’s “third-luckiest” store: Las Palmitas Mini Market in L.A.’s Skid Row neighborhood.

That’s right: in less than a year, three people in California won a Powerball jackpot worth over $1 billion.

Other “lucky” stores in the Golden State include the Circle K Sunshine Food and Gas in Cottonwood (Shasta County) at No. 4 and the Albertson’s in Morro Bay (San Luis Obispo County) at No. 5. The former sold a $1.2 billion Mega Millions ticket in December 2024, while the latter sold a Powerball ticket worth nearly $700 million three years before.

More “lucky” stores in Southern California, according to casino.org metrics, include:

• 7-Eleven stores in Chino Hills (4092 Chino Hills Parkway), Anaheim (763 North Euclid St.), Calimesa (301 West County Line Road) and Riverside (3740 Iowa Ave.)
• Leisure World Automotive in Seal Beach (13980 Seal Beach Blvd.)
• Marietta Liquors & Deli in the Sun City neighborhood of Menifee (27985 Bradley Road)
• Chevron stores in Woodland Hills (6061 Topanga Canyon Blvd.) and Encino (18081 Ventura Blvd.)
• Rainbow Water in Anaheim (1682 West Katella Ave.)
• L&L Hawaiian BBQ in Pico Rivera (8760 Washington Blvd.)
• Kim Ky Noodle in San Gabriel (1108 South San Gabriel Blvd.)
• Country Donuts in Long Beach (3200 East Anaheim St.)
• Freeman Market in Hawthorne (11733 Freeman Ave.)
• Choice Market in Los Angeles (5001 Western Ave.)
• Garfield Liquor in Montebello (2433 West Whittier Blvd.)

While there are a lot of numbers that need to be taken into account when playing the lottery, one you should keep in mind is your odds: you have a 1 in 292,201,338 chance of winning the Powerball.

Drawings take place at 7:59 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased at most convenience stores for $2.