Local News

You may want to buy your next scratch ticket at this lucky Nantucket diner

Three tickets bought at the Old South Diner since March have paid out at least $1 million each.

Sean Durnin claimed his $1 million prize on Tuesday after purchasing his winning lottery ticket at the Old South Diner on Nantucket. Massachusetts State Lottery Commission

By Lindsay Shachnow

August 21, 2024

1 minute to read

The Old South Diner has proven itself to be the luckiest place to eat on Nantucket recently. Since March, three scratch tickets bought at the island eatery have won patrons $1 million or more, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.

The first Old South Diner winning purchase was on March 11 when a $1 million prize was won on a “$4,000,000 Bonus Bucks” $10 ticket, and then in June, a $2 million prize was won on a “Lifetime Millions” $50 ticket.

On Tuesday, Sean Durnin became the latest lucky customer. He claimed his $1 million prize in the new “$10,000,000 Bonanza” $20 instant ticket game, the commission said.

“It felt like I was on a reality show,” Durnin told Boston.com Wednesday. “It was surreal.”

The diner receives a $10,000 bonus for selling Durnin’s winning ticket, adding to the combined total of $30,000 it had already made for the previous two winning tickets purchased at the establishment, according to the commission.

Durnin, owner of a new restaurant, Sushi Sean’s 11:11 Market & Bistro, on Nantucket, said he was delivering food in his truck when his son’s car seat fell out along the way.

He retraced his route, stopping at the Old South Diner to get a bag of chips and buy a scratch ticket, he said.

On his way home, he found the missing car seat before scratching the ticket to reveal his prize.

Durnin says he plans on putting the prize money toward his new restaurant and investments for his son.

Durnin called winning a “divine intervention” and said he plans to donate some of the money to local charities on the island.

“If you win something like that you gotta do something productive with the money,” he said. “Give it back somehow. It’s just money at the end of the day.”