Man Thought He Won $2K Lottery Prize Before Realizing It Was Actually $2M
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NEED TO KNOW
- Rwhi Zeidan of San Francisco bought a California Lottery Instant Prize Crossword Scratchers to “have some fun” on Wednesday, March 5
- After learning he won, he first believed he scored a $2,000 prize, but after further examination, he realized he actually won the jackpot of $2 million
- He told the California Lottery that he plans to use his winnings to pay off his mortgage
One San Francisco man’s boredom was remedied with a $2 million lottery win.
Rwhi Zeidan was “bored” and decided to buy a California Lottery Instant Prize Crossword Scratchers to “have some fun,” on March 5, California Lottery officials said in a Tuesday, June 10, news release.
Zeidan bought a $20 ticket at a San Francisco tobacco store near Union Square, which is ironically across the street from Good Luck Café, when he realized he scored.
But Zeidan initially thought he won $2,000, explaining to California Lottery that even after reading the number twice, he later realized he “didn’t read the number correctly.” After giving the ticket another look, he noticed “too many zeros” and “counted them one by one.”
CALottery
“That’s when I got really shocked,” Zeidan recalled, noting there were six zeros rather than three, bringing his winnings to a total of $2 million — also the game’s top prize.
“I texted my kids, and they said, ‘Who was that, you?’ and I said yes,” Zeidan said. “Until that moment, it was hard to believe.”
Zeidan told California Lottery officials that he’s using the funds to pay off his home’s mortgage, and that the prize will give him “some peace of mind.”
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