'I’m Not Homeless Anymore!': Homeless Man Wins $1 Million Lottery Prize

April 19, 2025

Today's good news story comes from San Luis Obispo, California.

A man who had been living on the street in San Luis Obispo hit the lottery jackpot this week with a $1 million win on a scratch-off ticket

homeless man wins one million dollars
Photo by: KSBY.com

The man, a familiar face at Sandy’s Deli-Liquor, won $1 million playing the California Lottery's Triple Red 777 game. Store manager Wilson Samaan, who has known the man for years, confirmed the astonishing win and shared how it all unfolded.

"He came to the store, he scratched it and is like, 'Oh my god, is that real?'" Samaan recalled. “I grabbed the ticket out of his hand, went to the machine over there. He’s like, 'Man, I’m not homeless anymore!' I’m like, 'Man, you hit the jackpot.' He’s like, '$100,000.' And I’m like, 'No bro, that’s one million dollars. Congrats brother!'”

The man, who wishes to stay anonymous, was still in shock when Samaan insisted on personally driving him to Fresno the next day to claim the prize—concerned that mailing such a high-value ticket wouldn’t be safe.

"I told him, 'That’s a million-dollar ticket. No, I will drive you there,'" Samaan said.

Now with a new lease on life, the winner plans to use his winnings for a down payment on a home, buy a car, and invest the rest wisely. "He said he’s not going to waste the second chance he got gifted," Samaan shared. “He’s gonna buy a car and a small house. Then the rest of the money, he’s going to invest or find a business.”

Samaan, who has worked at Sandy's since 2013, proudly says this is a first for the shop—and he’s framed a photo of the winning ticket behind the counter as a reminder of the unforgettable moment.

Though the winner chose not to appear on camera, he told local reporter Karson Wells that the win is truly “life-changing.”

Watch the video below.