Player hits jackpot on California Lottery scratcher. ‘I thought I made a mistake’

A California man who brought several California Lottery scratchers home to play had a hard time believing he’d hit the $2 million top prize on his first ticket.

“I didn’t believe it,” Larry Goodman of Hollister said, according to a Thursday, March 7, lottery news release. “I’ve won $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 on other games, but I thought I made a mistake reading this one! I double and triple checked it. It was surprising.”

Goodman, who has been playing scratcher games for six years, hit it big on the “Instant Prize Crossword” game with 12 out of 12 words.

“I don’t just scan the barcode like a lot of people do,” he told lottery officials. “I take them home and play them because I feel like if I don’t win, I might as well get a few minutes of fun out of it.”

Goodman bought the winning scratcher at Pacheco’s Express Way Liquor, where he’s a loyal California Lottery player. The store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket.

Goodman said he bought a new house and truck, plus put some money away for the future, calling the win “pretty cool.”

He’s also still playing the lottery and recently won another $1,000 prize.

Hollister is about a 100-mile drive southeast from San Francisco.

This story was originally published March 10, 2024 at 8:53 AM with the headline "Player hits jackpot on California Lottery scratcher. ‘I thought I made a mistake’."