{"id":4952,"date":"2026-05-30T08:31:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T08:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/30\/jackpot-winner-says-lucky-california-lottery-scratcher-was-waiting-for-me\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T08:31:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T08:31:17","slug":"jackpot-winner-says-lucky-california-lottery-scratcher-was-waiting-for-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/30\/jackpot-winner-says-lucky-california-lottery-scratcher-was-waiting-for-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Jackpot winner says lucky California lottery scratcher was \u2018waiting for me\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Northern California man says he felt a winning California State Lottery scratchers ticket was \u201cwaiting for me\u201d after he won a smaller prize at the same store a day earlier.<\/p>\n

Read more If Sacramento gets an MLB expansion team, what should it be named? Weigh in here<\/a><\/p>\n

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Fernando Ayala purchased a $40 \u201cRoyal Jackpot Scratchers\u201d ticket at a Quik Stop at 601 N. Cloverdale Blvd. in Cloverdale.in Sonoma County, which is about 129 miles northwest of Sacramento, the California State Lottery said in a Wednesday, May 27, news release.<\/p>\n

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The ticket, which had a serial number ending in 18, won Ayala a $40 prize. So he returned to the store the next day to use his winnings to play again. This time, the serial number on the scratcher ended in 17.<\/p>\n

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He won the $15 million jackpot.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was right there,\u201d says Ayala. \u201cAnybody can go and buy it \u2013 I feel like the ticket was waiting for me all night.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ayala said he came to California from Mexico 40 years ago.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI came from Mexico when I was 12 years old, I was sleeping by the river and washed dishes for years, I never made this kind of money and I know how hard it is to earn a living,\u201d Ayala said.<\/p>\n

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He said the lessons he learned from building a life in California mean more to him than the jackpot.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI came to the United States with nothing,\u201d Ayala said. \u201cI worked hard, got married, raised my son and built a life. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve been doing my whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He plans to spend time with his family, but doesn\u2019t plan any big changes.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve worked my entire life, and I know how hard it is to make money,\u201d Ayala said. \u201cI\u2019m still going to work, still going to help people and still live my life the same way. That\u2019s who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.<\/p>\n

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.<\/p>\n

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