It really was her lucky day.
A California woman had an extra stroke of luck after thinking she’d cashed in on $2,000 from a scratch-off — but actually won $2 million.
Ruby Evans purchased an Instant Prize Crossword Scratchers ticket at Sweet Time Donuts in Compton and ended up winning the game’s jackpot prize, the California lottery said in a press release Thursday.
Evans scratched off her ticket in the shop’s parking lot and was thrilled when she thought she had won $2,000 off one of her tickets.
Only after she returned to the store to ask for a claim form did she learn she was about to be taking home a significantly larger prize.
When the store’s owner scanned her ticket, a figure with three extra zeros appeared on the screen.
“Imagine her shock though when the owner scanned Evans’ ticket and a different figure with three extra zeros appeared on the Lottery terminal screen,” the press release said.
“Evans hadn’t won $2,000 as she thought; she actually won $2,000,000, the game’s top prize.”
This isn’t the first time Evans has struck gold.
In 2013, she won $100,000 playing a different Scratchers game.
“I’ll tell you what, this is a big blessing. It’s given me a chance to pay off my bills, my mortgage, and help my daughters,” Evans told the California Lottery.
“I’m having fun,” she said, adding that the big win wasn’t going to stop her from playing the Crossword Scratchers, which she already won $5,000 off of previously.
Evans said that word has gotten out about her lucky streak, especially with tickets purchased at Sweet Time Donuts, and that people now tease her whenever they see her at the donut shop.
“They say, ‘Ruby, haven’t you won enough? Save some winners for all of us,'” Evans said.
Evans said she was also thrilled to hear the donut shop owners will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling her the winning ticket.
Evans is one of two California Lottery millionaires announced last week. Both she and another man, identified as Job Aquirre, won $2 million on tickets that were sold in January.
Aquirre won off a ticket purchased at 76 station in Studio City, California. The owner of that business also got a $10,000 bonus.
