A California man's recent visit to the gas station for a cup of joe ended with him walking out of the convenience store with a ton of Benjamins in his pockets.
Nabi Hasani of Chula Vista told the California Lottery that his gut told him to buy a $10 "The Perfect Gift" scratch-off ticket as he made a pit stop at the Arco ampm minimart located at 407 E Street.
"It was just a random pick. I asked the cashier if it was true that I won," Hasani said. "I still went home and showed my children and asked them to confirm it, too."
The scratcher has 20 panels, and players look for a bell and the $1 million figure to see if they won the prize.
Hasani's million-dollar moment came in crunch time: He only had three squares left to reveal when he put his coin on box number 17.
"What a surprise!" he said. "To know I'm helping schools and the childrenā¦ It's the best thing, actually."
According to California Lottery's press release, the lottery's sole mission is to raise more money for public education. Every ticket sold, whether a winner or loser, contributes to the funding.
The owner of the minimart that sold the ticket will earn a $5,000 bonus.
This story was originally published by Pat Mueller at Scripps News San Diego.
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