Southern California has four new millionaires.
Raul Reyes Arreola recently won the $20 million top prize on a Set for Life Scratcher he purchased at Big A Liquor in Anaheim, the California Lottery announced on Thursday.
Also in Anaheim, Daniel Peramaki, the self-proclaimed “King of the Scratchers,” hit the $5 million jackpot on a Neon Cash Party ticket he purchased from Star Liquor on South State College Boulevard.
Peramaki has been playing $20 scratcher tickets for many years and told lottery officials that he generally has good luck, but never this good.
“I’m very superstitious. If I scratch them right away, it’s a loser. I usually buy them, put them in my pocket, and wait,” he said. “I didn’t scratch this one until midnight.”
Peramaki initially thought he had come up short of the $5 million prize again – until he scratched the 25th and final square. Like many jackpot winners, he says it didn’t immediately sink in.
“I thought, ‘No way!’ I honestly thought I scratched it wrong. I was in shock for probably the whole day. I didn’t sleep that night,” Peramaki said.
Instead of taking installments, Peramaki opted for the lump sum payment of $2.9 million.
Elsewhere in Southern California, Cheryl Nolan won $5 million on a Premier 7’s scratcher ticket she bought at the Ralph’s on McBean Parkway in Valencia, officials said. James Holder won $2 million on an Instant Prize Crossword ticket in Rancho Santa Margarita.
In the Central Valley, San Saelee won the top prize on a $1,000,000 California Road Trip Riches scratcher purchased in Tulare.
Proceeds from California lottery ticket sales, including Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state games, benefit public education and totaled more than $2.07 billion for fiscal year 2021-22, lottery officials said.
