A California woman, who was homeless a few years ago, has just won $5 million thanks to a lotto ticket.
Lucia Forseth of Sacramento bagged her riches after purchasing a lucky Scratchers 2023 ticket, according to a press release.
She expressed her shock and gratitude at winning, reflecting on her time being homeless in 2017. Forseth also noted how her life turned around positively after she found a place to live, the winnings being her latest example of good fortune. She also said the ticket's inclusion of 2023 in its name held special significance for her.
Forseth said: "I only bought one ticket, I closed my eyes and picked that one, and it won!
"I first thought I'd won a free ticket, but I checked and it said I won $5 million!
"Six years ago, I was homeless. This year I am getting married, get my associate degree, and won $5 million.
"You never think you have a chance to win it. It is just random. Being homeless just six years ago, I never thought it would happen to someone like me."
Forseth picked up her 2023 Scratchers ticket at a Walmart Supercentre in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County.
She said she was there for an oil change on her car and scracthed the top-prize winning ticket right outside.
Forseth said she plans on buying a house and investing the rest of her winnings.
Speaking about Forseth's win, California Lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker said: "The California Lottery's sole mission is to raise additional funding for public education, and it's only possible with our players' support.
"Hearing a success story like this showcases the positive impact our games have on winners and schools alike."
Last year, another Californian won a life changing-amount of money from a scratch-ticket.
In August 2022, Chad Fry bought a $30 Set For Life Millionaire Edition ticket and is now $11.6 million richer. This made Fry the biggest scratch-ticket prizewinner in California's lottery history.
Fry, from Placer County, California said he was at Foothill Market in Auburn to "buy some beer and a lottery ticket."
The Set for Life Millionaire Edition ticket has a grand prize twice the amount of any other on the market, according to the lottery office.
Speaking of his new-found wealth, Fry said: "I'm sure it will hit me that I'm a millionaire, all those zeroes.
"I was like, 'Hold on, let me scratch this thing really quick.' I scratched the first line, got halfway through the second and saw 'LIFE,'" Fry told the lottery office.
That's the word players need to uncover to reveal one of the six record-prize tickets that are in circulation.
The lottery administrators said Fry chose to take a lump sum of $11.6 million (before federal taxes), instead of $20 million over 25 years, and planned to buy a new Ford pickup truck with the money.
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Gerrard Kaonga is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter and is based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on U.S. ... Read more
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