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Seven fortunate Californians struck it rich last week thanks to their luck with scratch-off tickets, according to a statement from the California Lottery.
These lucky individuals decided to try their luck with $20 scratch-off tickets and ended up hitting the jackpot on February 23.
Playing the "Millionaire Maker" game, which costs $20 per ticket in California, proved to be life-changing for two players who became millionaires after scoring big prizes with the scratch-off. The game offers five top prizes of $1 million each, which can be won by matching winning numbers, stars, and/or money bags.
Hamid Abri, hailing from Maryland, secured an astounding $5 million prize following his purchase of a Millionaire Maker ticket at Jon’s Market in Van Nuys. Meanwhile, Michael Herrick, another fortunate winner, pocketed $2 million after buying a ticket at a Shell station in Danville.
For those who had $20 to spare in California recently, their chances of striking it rich would have significantly increased. Another popular game, the Instant Prize Crossword Scratchers, also saw a lot of winners. In this scratch-off game, players can enjoy the challenge of matching letters to complete a crossword puzzle while winning a prize for each successful match.
This particular scratch-off game made five additional winners, each receiving $2 million in prize money:
William Calderon from CVS in Fremont
Elodio Ramirez Estrada from Grande’s Goode Donuts in Los Angeles
Victor Lopez Esparza from Nate’s Market in Compton
Jorge Franco from Bay Fair Unocal in San Leandro
David De La Rosa from Richard’s Liquor in Lynwood
The California Lottery's mission is to generate funds for public school education in the state. According to the release, when players purchase a $2 ticket, 80 cents of that purchase will contribute to the California school system.