GASTON COUNTY, N.C. -- Clerks have been wishing a lot of people good luck at one McAdenville convenience store lately.

That’s because a lot of people now believe Gaston County is lucky with the lottery.

“I'd like to be the winner, that's all I'd like to say, said Cornelius truck driver Claude Moultry.

Moultry was just passing through when he learned that Gaston County has had two $1 million winners in the past month.

“I'd like to be in on it,” he said.

Convenience store supervisor Butch McConnell said he has seen a lot of people who believe there will be a third winner in the county.

“Just the other day we had a woman who drove down from Hickory based on the fact that she had heard about the two big winners,” he said.

Matthew Alton brought his winning ticket in Gastonia on New Year's Eve, and two weeks ago he proudly showed his check, but not his face.

Five Gaston County Jail workers decided to do the same. They pooled their money to buy tickets in Cherryville and picked up their $1 million check this week.

“When there is a winner or two in a certain area, the public somewhat likes to go to that area thinking there is a better chance to win,” McConnell said.

One thing a lot of ticket buyers didn't want to talk about is the effect the economy has had on the lottery. A lot of people have been laid off, and they said a lottery check could not only be the biggest, but the only check they’ll see for a long time.

“They talk about wanting to buy the tickets to get out of debt, paying their houses off and taking care of their families,” said Donna Sloan, a convenience store manager.

She said in fact, fewer people are talking about the big payoff.

“A lot of people say, ‘I'll be happy with $500 or $1,000,’” she said.

Lottery officials said there is nothing to suggest the next major winner will be in Gaston County, but that hasn't stopped people from coming to try their luck.