2 lucky lottery winners bought $1M tickets in San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Two lucky lottery players each won $1 million each with Scratchers tickets they bought in San Jose, officials announced this week.
Hairstylist Lasandra Arizmendez, won playing the Gold Rush game, with a ticket was a Christmas gift – a family tradition.
"We really believe in it, and we believe in miracles. That’s what this was, a miracle on Christmas," Arizmendez said in a news release sent by California Lottery officials on Wednesday. "I was a little leery, because my family plays tricks on me, but when I turned it over, I knew it was real!"
Lottery officials said her win couldn’t come at a better time. When her salon closed during the pandemic, she was out of work. She now plans to buy a house and start her kids’ college funds with the prize money, she told lottery officials.
The store where her winning ticket came from, Piedmont Shell in San Jose gets a $5,000 bonus for selling her the ticket.
Ishak Jimenez, who also won a $1 million prize. He played a California Dreamin’ ticket he bought at the Safeway on West San Carlos in San Jose, which also gets a $5,000 bonus.
Jimenez often plays with his mom, and they were together when they bought his winning ticket.
"We scratched in our car and had to go back in to (the store) confirm; it was kind of a shock," Jimenez told lottery officials in a statement. He said he wants to use the money to build his own custom house.
MORE: Jury awards $102 million to women abused by San Jose teacher as teens