News writer
A California woman was often questioned about why she kept playing the lottery. Now she can tell them why, as she recently became a member of the exclusive California Lottery millionaires club!
A $1 million win
While Annette Lopez never allowed her detractors to crush her hopes and dreams of hitting it big, it had to get annoying over time.
Lopez told lottery officials, “People would always say, ‘I don’t know why you keep playing. You’re not going to win anything.’”
Well, Lopez proved those haters wrong and they are probably not so vocal anymore!
She was able to silence her skeptics after winning the top prize of $1 million while playing a Power 10’s scratcher game from the California Lottery.
Best Mother’s Day ever
Lopez purchased the winning tickets while out on a special shopping trip at Save Mart in Merced.
“It was special because not only was it my sister’s birthday, but it was also Mother’s Day weekend. I went to the store to get stuff for Mother’s Day and decided to play,” Lopez told lottery officials. “At first, I wasn’t sure I won. I had to get my glasses. When I looked at it again, I started tripping out. It was the best Mother’s Day!”
While it’s been a little while since she scratched off the big winner, Lopez said she still gets emotional talking about it. This huge win off a $10 scratcher has helped change her life, she said.
Other California Lottery winners
Lopez was celebrating after claiming her winnings at the California Lottery headquarters, but she wasn’t the only one celebrating recently.
On February 3, one lucky ticket matched all the winning numbers to win the $20 million SuperLotto Plus jackpot that night. The winning numbers for that draw were 2, 12, 18, 20, and 44, and the Mega Number was 4. After months of no one claiming the big winner, Hyo Suk Jang recently came forward and claimed the big jackpot. He purchased the winning ticket from Y & Y Market in Los Angeles.
We are going back even further for the next winner, who won $2.09 million playing Powerball during the Christmas Day 2023 drawing. The lucky winner, Sok Ban Ngeap, bought their ticket from Thirst Quencher Liquor in Burbank and recently came forward to claim their winnings.
Not as far back on this one, but another Powerball winner from California. Steve Butkus won $1.62 million playing the multi-state draw game during the April 3 drawing. Butkus purchased the winning ticket at Albertsons in San Dimas.
Now time for a Mega Millions winner, as Amalia Navarro won $1.06 million during the March 26 drawing. She recently claimed her winnings after purchasing the winning ticket from D & K Liquor on Van Nuys.
We have some other scratcher winners also, as Jose Luis Torres took home the top prize of $5 million playing the Lucky Multiplier scratcher game. He bought the winning ticket from La Placita Plaza Market in Nipomo.
Oscar Melendez also won a top prize of $5 million, but he was playing the Year of Fortune scratcher from the California Lottery. He purchased that top-prize winning ticket from the 7-Eleven on Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach.
Enjoy playing the California Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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