California Man Wins $5 Million Jackpot on $20 Scratch-off Ticket

Daniel Peramaki, who affectionately calls himself the "King of the $20 Scratchers," recently achieved a remarkable feat that left even this seasoned lottery player in disbelief.

In a press release by the California Lottery, Peramaki shared his astonishing win story, saying, "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."

The winning ticket that took Peramaki by surprise was none other than the top prize of $5 million on a Neon Cash Party scratch-off ticket. This incredible win came after he scratched off 24 losing spots, making it all the more unexpected and exciting.

The fortunate ticket was purchased at a liquor store in Anaheim, which is set to receive a generous $25,000 bonus for being the retailer of this life-changing ticket. Peramaki, self-described as "very superstitious," has developed a unique strategy for purchasing Scratchers. He aims to buy the seventh, eighth, or ninth tickets from newly opened packs of $20 Scratchers. Peramaki also adheres to a practice of not scratching his newly acquired tickets right away, believing that scratching them immediately results in a losing outcome. He shared, "If I scratch them right away, it's a loser. I usually buy them, put them in my pocket, and wait. I didn't scratch this one until midnight."