Homeless Man Wins $1M Scratch-Off

A life-changing moment just happened in San Luis Obispo, California—and it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person. A longtime customer of Sandy’s Deli-Liquor, who also happens to be homeless, hit the jackpot on a scratch-off lottery ticket and walked away with $1 million.

The winning moment happened on Sunday, April 6. Store manager Wilson Samaan says the man bought a few tickets for $25, including two $5 Triple Red 777 scratchers. When he scratched the ticket, the disbelief was real.

“He’s like, ‘$100,000,’ and I’m like, ‘No, bro. That’s $1 million. Congrats brother,’” Samaan told local news.

The man, who doesn’t even own a car, tried to mail in the winning ticket—but Samaan wasn’t about to let a million-dollar moment get lost in the system. He personally drove him all the way to Fresno to verify it with the California Lottery.

“He tried to mail it,” Samaan shared. “I told him, I’ll help you out… I didn’t want a million dollars to get lost in the mail.”

The emotional moment was captured in a video posted by Thrifty Beaches on Instagram, where the winner said, "I just can’t wait to get off the streets."

The California Lottery is currently verifying the ticket, a process that could take weeks or even months, according to spokesperson Carolyn Becker. But regardless of the wait, one thing’s for sure: this win is about way more than just money—it’s about hope, a second chance, and a new start.

And in case you’re wondering, the odds of hitting a million on that kind of ticket? Astronomical. But this time, luck—and life—finally said yes.